


Baseline

by Vixx2pointOh



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternative Universe - No Arrow, Alternative Universe - No Island, Didn't See That Coming, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Girl Power, Hero but not as you know it, Lies, Penguins, Plot Driven - Try to Keep Up, Role Reversal, Secrets, Yelling at the screen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-03-29
Packaged: 2018-05-25 21:34:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 50,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6210976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vixx2pointOh/pseuds/Vixx2pointOh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oliver Queen was a rich, carefree and barely equipped playboy who had little intention of becoming the corporate leader his father hoped him to be.</p><p>Felicity Smoak was simply desperate to leave Starling City and her past, behind her.</p><p>It was a chance meeting - but not as strangers - at an illegal casino that put their paths and their pasts on a collision course neither was ready for.  One that had already set the baseline for the rest of their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Collide

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first non-canon (AU) fic, so let's see where it leads.
> 
> Events similar to those from the TV show may occur or be alluded to, but in a different way, like somethings are destined to happen regardless.
> 
> Story starts November 2014.
> 
> I'm not America, so sometimes my British English sneaks in, thanks for understanding.

**November 2014**

Felicity towel dried her hair as the steam from the shower felt heavy against her naked skin. The fan rattled above her, threatening to fall from the ceiling cavity at any moment. It wouldn't surprise her if it did, this place was a dump.  
  
She stared at herself as the fog lifted off the bathroom mirror, this was not where she expected to be or wanted to be, but it was her life right now. She did what she needed to do to survive.  
  
The red dress hung on the back of the door almost tauntingly bright in the flickering light of the bathroom in the studio apartment that was – by all accounts a dump. She breathed in slowly, her mind wasn't in it today and it needed to be. This would help them, this would move them to a proper apartment, with a manager that didn't make every attempt to grope her and with a ceiling fan that might actually do its job.  
  
“Head in the game Felicity” she coached as she painted her lips a dark rouge.  
  
30 minutes later she was dressed the part, her blond hair pulled to the side, loosely tousled and falling down one shoulder. The red dress catching her in all the right places, with a sweetheart neckline that was designed – she assumed – solely to cause men to be distracted.  
  
It was 10:30 and time to make some money.

* * *

  
Oliver paced around the club, he was bored, restless and frankly tired of listening to the same three sounds boom through the speakers just at different tempos or in a different order.  
  
Tommy sat the drink down on the table in front of him a cocktail that ought to have gold in it for the price he paid.  
“You're going to wear a hole in the floor Oliver” he yelled over the music  
Oliver shrugged.  
Tommy gestured him outside where the bass was present but the sound was less deafening.  
  
“What's up man, this club is going off” Tommy hyped – chances were high that his earlier hit of vertigo in the basement was finally kicking in.  
  
“I'm just over this, you know? There has to be something better to do” Oliver lamented, eager for a change in scenery  
  
“There's one of those underground casinos around the corner” Tommy hinted.

“Ah, I see you're back on drugs” Oliver laughed, pushing his friend's arm “Oliver Queen couldn't visited one of those places even if I wanted too, they would make me in a heartbeat and escort me, probably not all too kindly, out the front door”.  
  
“So, be someone else for a night”

Oliver went to retort the idea further, but maybe it wasn't such a bad idea, maybe it's just the kind of something different he needed.  
“Alright man, lets go”

* * *

  
“Password” the heavyset bouncer enquired staring Felicity down.

“Snapdragon” she calmly replied – it had taken a lot of very heavy flirting and the promise of something more (which she had no intention of keeping her word on) with the drug dealer next door to get that information.  
  
The bouncer stepped aside and nodded to the doorman who opened the door and shuffled Felicity inside.  
  
She caught a few eyes glancing her direction as she strode through the room filled with card tables and large men with guns – _and not a single slot machine_ she thought, _it was hardly a real casino without at least one._  
  
She took an empty seat at a black jack table and pulled a wad of money from her bag. She knew that was at least 3 months' rent she had worked hard at Big Belly Burger earning on minimum wage and tips from sleazy lowlifes, but she needed more than 3 months' rent, she needed enough to leave Starling City and never look back.  
  
She understood numbers – she saw them in sequences other's didn't, she could count cards and she could do it without anyone noticing, one job and two one way tickets out of this place.

* * *

  
“Nice” Tommy grinned as a waitress in a very small gold dress slinked passed him “this is definitely one of my better ideas”  
  
“I don't even want to know how you knew the password” Oliver quipped looking around the very different surroundings. Laurel would have killed him if she knew where he was – the thought at how pissed she would be actually made him laugh _She can be such a bi-_ his thoughts of her stopped dead when his eye caught a pretty blond sitting at a black jack table.  
  
She was stunning, the curve of her back, the roundness of her breasts – his eyes were dancing all over those areas and they were definitely worth getting a closer look at.  
  
He patted Tommy on the shoulder and walked off, his eyes latched onto her like he was been pulled in by a dragnet.  
  
“Is this seat taken?” he smiled, a coy look brimming across his face.  
  
Felicity turned to the voice in her ear _Oh, the universe had to be kidding, him?_  
“I guess not” she sighed her eyes almost rolling – typical  
  
Oliver slid on to the chair beside her, she could feel his eyes on her chest and as he casually leant back in some pathetic attempt to act as though he was stretching, she could almost place money on the fact he was checking out her ass.  
  
She thought about getting up and leaving, but she was close. She'd already won close to $15,000 – she only needed $5,000 more and that would be enough. She would cash out at leave for good.  
  
“So, I think you might be my good luck charm” Oliver winked leaning in closer than she wished him to.  
“I don't think so” she snorted – it took every ounce of self-control she had not to laugh in his face at whatever this was he was trying to do.  
  
“Well maybe I can be yours?” his hand grazed her arm and she jolted away  
  
She'd just won another round, maybe $17,000 was enough. Before she could think further on it a large hand grabbed at her shoulder and Oliver's.  
  
“You guys need to come with me” the gruff voice spoke as a giant of a man leant down between them  
  
“I'm not with him” Felicity smiled – her heart racing through her chest, she had been careful not to be caught.  
  
“Up, now” the giant demanded, pulling them both up like they were featherweights  
  
“Hey look man, I'm just here enjoying my Saturday night with this pretty girl” Oliver smiled  
Felicity rolled her eyes, _the idiot actually thinks he can charm his way out of this._  
  
The were marched down a back hall into the manager’s room – a man about a foot above hobbit size with a poorly placed toupee and far too much cologne.  
  
“Mr Queen, what brings you to these neck of woods, you hardly our normal clientele” he grinned lighting a cigar as he placed his feet on his desk.

_Great, its his fault_ Felicity screamed internally.

“The pretty blond here is your partner huh?” a drawn out inhale on the cigar.

“While I was hoping by the end of the night” Oliver smiled

“Oh god” Felicity bemoaned _he had no idea who he was talking to did he?_  
  
The hobbit behind the desk stood up and stamped his feet around to the front of them. He stepped up to Felicity, his body very clearly invading her space.  
  
“Leave your chips and get out of my establishment” he spat, waving his hand at the giants behind them.  
  
“Come on man, that's no way to treat people” Oliver complained as he stepped forward and held his arm out in front of Felicity  
  
_Oh god, is he trying to protect me_ – she almost laughed.  
  
The giant took exception to the counter move and grabbed Oliver by both arms, jerking him backwards. The second giant took a less offensive approach and placed his hand on Felicity's shoulder, pushing her from the room.  
  
They were both unceremoniously jostled out into the dark alleyway as the foreboding figures stared them down.  
  
“Get off home rich kids” the larger one snarled  
  
“That's no way to treat a lady” Oliver snipped back  
  
To Felicity it was like seeing a primped and pampered spaniel trying to take on the pit bull of the neighbourhood.  
  
Oliver stepped in front of Felicity “You should apologise” he taunted.  
_Did he want to get his ass kicked?_  
  
The two giants had decided not to take this one on the nose and they approached with menace in their eyes, Felicity could tell they would take great delight in kicking the rich boy's ass, however she wasn't about to be caught up in the crossfire.  
  
“Stay behind me” Oliver instructed, his hands attempting to draw a line between the giants and Felicity.  
  
She sighed as she shook her head and used her gold pumps to flick a length of wood up from next the dumpster beside them.  
  
She caught it and in an instant reflex spun it like a baton, just enough to gain the momentum she needed, one, two, three, the wood came down heavy on the base of the larger one's head sending him stumbling backwards, she took the opportunity and planted a swift side kick to his liver which caused him to lose his balance. As he fell like a giant redwood she finished him with a roundhouse kick – the heel of her shoe was definitely going to leave a mark.  
  
It took the other one that long to grasped what was happening. He grabbed her arm and went to swing. She caught him under the chin with the wooden weapon, likely breaking his jaw. She twisted her body around, her arm releasing from his grip and taking his own arm around to an unnatural position behind his back, she finished with a heel kick to the middle of his spine sending him head first into the dumpster.  
  
Oliver stood there, his mouth aghast.  
  
“Who are you?” he questioned his eyes wide in shock

“I'm positive that is something you don't need to know, Oliver” Felicity replied as she kicked off her heels and scaled the fence at the end of the alleyway.  
  
It took a moment before Oliver realised he'd never told her his name, but before he could say anything she was gone and he was the only conscious one left in the alleyway.

 


	2. Awake

The moon was high and full, its light reflecting off the damp streets, a thick caution of rain hung in the air as Felicity walked alone through the Glades.

She rounded the corner and stared up at the apartment building before her.  It was named – sarcastically she assumed – “Meadowbank”, there was certainly no nearby meadow, crack house? Sure, but no meadows around here.

“Damnit” she cursed her eyes falling on the building manager’s apartment.  Handsy Mark was still awake, the lights giving him away as he moved about his apartment. 

Dealing with him, especially with her in _this_ dress was definitely not on her agenda for the day.

She balled the longer length of the dress up, tying it into a haphazard knot.  It was one of the few things she still owned from her previous life.  It wasn’t grand by any means, but it had been comfortable – comfortable enough to not imagine herself scaling a fire escape of a sarcastically named apartment building in what was most definitely the wrong part of town.

She pulled herself up to the first level of the fire escape with ease, she could master this route with her eyes closed.  Two more floors and she was at the window of her apartment.  She jimmied open the window – unsurprisingly the window locks didn’t work in this place either.

Once inside she switched on the lamp beside the bed and slowly unzipped the red dress.  In fell from her slender frame exposing a crisscross of three scars across her lower back and the 2 inch reminder of what a 9mm can do to you on her left shoulder.

 

She pulled on dark grey lounge pants and an oversized t-shirt.  Removing the clips from her hair she pulled it back into a ponytail, a few escapee strands of hair framing her young face. 

She was only 25 even though she felt somewhere between 35 and 45, yet her youthful exuberance hadn’t been lost in all the grey areas her life had steered her through.

She washed her face clean and slid her feet into the ridiculous cat face slippers – it hadn’t been her idea to buy them, but she would give or do just about anything to get the funny little laugh she got every time she wore them.

 

Felicity put her ear to the front door – not a sound, good.  Mark would often roam the hallways, half drunk in his stained white tank top looking for a butt to grab, but thankfully not tonight.  She unlatched the door and peered out, still nothing – good.

Leaving the door slightly ajar she padded over to Apartment 3D and knocked softly.  The door cracked open and she was met with a kind eye.  The door closed, the chain came off and it opened again to the face of a smiling older woman with dark set eyes, a beautifully untamed head of black hair and smile lines that would put even the weariest soul at ease.

“Hi Rosa, was she good?” Felicity questioned taking in the woman’s gesture to come inside.

“Bebita* was perfect” she smiled, giving Felicity a kiss on her cheek 

 

Felicity walked into the darkened bedroom her eyes searching for a shape on the bed.  Her eyes fell onto the tiny silhouette curled up under the blankets and suddenly everything felt peaceful.  She pulled back the covers, brushed away the strands of hair and gently placed kissed against her soft skin. 

“Mom?” a soft voice breathed, her eyes twitching.

“Sssh, baby, I’m going to take you home now” Felicity whispered as she lifted the sleeping child into her arms. 

 

She thanked Rosa with a smile and an air kiss as she moved from that apartment back to her own. 

“Mom, you smell like Dad” the small girl quipped.

Felicity laughed – she was sure she probably just smelt like a damp, dark alleyway and cigar smoke – perhaps the girl had a point.

“Amelie, how would you know what your daddy smells like?” Felicity smiled walking into the apartment and pushing the door closed with her foot behind her.

“Tinkerbell told me” the girl yawned her eyes opening for a second then falling back closed

“You believe in fairies?” Felicity teased, laying her down on the bed and gently kissing her pouting lips

“Of course I do” another yawn

“Alright my love, well then, I believe in fairies too” Felicity spoke softly as she pulled the blankets up around Amelie “sleep well my little princess”.

Felicity backed away the bed and sat down on the chair that didn’t match the small table it was paired with.  She breathed a heavy sigh as she watched the most precious thing she had bury her face into the pillow and twitch her rosy lips.

She was almost 5 and it was just the two of them.

  

* * *

 

“Where did you go tonight?” Laurel demanded, her finger jabbed deep into Oliver’s chest “I went to the club and you weren’t there, I rung you like 12 times and you didn’t answer” she ranted, the crease along her forehead becoming more prominent with every word she spoke.

 “I was just out, with Tommy, nothing to tell” Oliver shrugged _God she could be such a bitch_ he allowed himself to finally finish that train of thought.

They had been dating for longer than Oliver cared to count.  Probably 6 years – if you didn’t discount the many times they had broken up.  Sure he loved her once, but she was different now – he was different now – _they_ were different now.  Yet, here he was having the same damn argument with her that he always did.

She had every reason not to trust him, he wasn’t exactly the faithful lapdog she wanted him to be, but with the exception of the blond at the casino tonight he’d barely look at another girl in a year.

 

It had been that long since the accident.  Since then his outlook on life had changed.  He’d sworn on that deserted beach that he would be a better person.  He thought that meant giving himself more honestly to Laurel, but the more they fought, the more he was beginning to realise that meant being more honest about what wasn’t working.

Now he just needed to find a way to tell her.

“So who was the dumb bitch this time?” Laurel snapped, jolting Oliver back to the present.

“No one – I haven’t being with anyone since the accident” he sighed – the same words he’d spoken a million times to her before.

He had contemplated it, and perhaps he had been a little too flirtatious with the blond _the blond that could literally bring a grown ass giant to the floor_ – but that had just been him grasping for something – anything – different and spurred by a feeling that he needed to know _that_ girl better.

 

“Funny, I don’t believe you” she smirked

“Why do we do this to ourselves Laurel – it’s the same damn argument just on a different night” he retorted, he was tired of this, he was tired of people expecting him to be something he didn’t want to be anymore – and right now the person he didn’t want to be was Laurel Lance’s long-term boyfriend.

“Are you attempting to break up with me?” she laughed as picked up the jacket he’d draped across the chair of her apartment and threw it at him “because that’s not happening.  Go home and be better tomorrow” she almost snarled as she gestured him out of the door.

 _Great, now she even controls if I break up with her or not_.

No, this most definitely was not working.

 

* * *

 

Oliver twisted in the sheets of the oversized bed he’d known most of his life.  His hand gripped at the side of it his breath quickening.

He could smell the damp air and taste the salt water in his mouth.  Everything was moving around him, the lights flickering, the loud noises that ruptured the once still night – and then blackness, deep and dark, cold and lonely – completeness blackness.

He startled himself awake, sweat forming lines down the side of his face.  He caught his breath and stared at the silhouettes around the room.  Nothing moved.

His hands released the sheet slowly as he slowed his breath and took a sip from the glass of water on the night stand.

He didn’t even control his dreams anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Bebita = Baby Girl
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading.  
> I'd love to hear your thoughts, constructive criticism - anything :)


	3. Anew

The morning came too soon as the alarm broke Felicity from her slumber.  She had only managed 3 hours, but it would have to do.  She rolled over in the bed and was met with a giant grin.

“Morning mommy” Amelie chuckled – Felicity loved the way the small girl would chuckle at virtually anything.  It had taken all her strength to keep the darkness of the world away from those beautiful blue eyes, but as they danced along to the music no one else heard – Felicity new she’d done alright with this one.

 

The routine was the same every morning – eat the cereal sitting atop the kitchen bench, brush her teeth while humming a song she’d made up moments before – usually about unicorns or fairies – while Felicity grabbed whatever fruit she could find to eat on the 10 minute walk to Big Belly, waving goodbye to Rosa – who would, without fail every morning, be waiting by her opened apartment door to kiss the little girl goodbye.

 

Along the short walk Amelie would comment that the flowers were lovely this time of year.  Felicity would smile and nod in wonderment – wishing she could see the dirty unkempt lawns of the houses in the Glades like Amelie did.

“Morning Beth” Felicity smiled as she pulled open the restaurant door and Amelie skipped inside.

 Beth, a middle aged sassy blond with wild eyes and a devilish grin waved Felicity over.

 “And how are my two favourite ladies” she beamed, placing a fluffy white marshmallow in front of Amelie like magic.

 “You spoil her” Felicity smiled as she walked around behind the counter and put on her apron.

 “Come on baby girl, I’ll walk you the rest of the way” Beth smiled taking Amelie by the hand.

Same routine every morning, nothing was different about today – sure Felicity had lost the money she was counting on to leave sooner, but she still had a back-up plan – she always did.  They’d be ok, she’d find a way to make it so.

Nope, this morning was just the same as every other morning, and Felicity had no reason to believe it would be otherwise.

* * *

 

“You look tired son” Moira Queen commented as they sat quietly around the breakfast table.

“I’m fine” Oliver replied, he wasn’t a fan of being home again, he was almost 30 years old, but Moira had insisted after the accident and Laurel was all too happy for him to sell his apartment – knowing he was less likely to entertain girls at Queen Mansion.

“Where’s dad?” Oliver asked – just to ask it.

“Your father is already at the office” Moira responded, the chill in her voice when she spoke of the man she was married to was abundantly obvious.

Oliver left the half eaten breakfast and stepped away from the table.  For more procedure than anything he placed a quick kiss on his mother’s cheek, buttoned his suit jacket and walk towards the door.

Another day at the office, pretending to be a younger version of his father, but caring less about it as each day passed.

Same old routine, nothing would be different about today.

 

* * *

The glass doors parted and Oliver walked inside the gargantuan building – a status symbol to Starling City of what money, power and being born with a certain last name could get you.

“Are you better today?” Laurel smiled as she linked her arm into his.

He was plainly aware her action was simply one to be noticed by others.

“I trust you have that ridiculous idea out of your head now” she leaned in and whispered into his ear.

She worked in the legal department of Queen Consolidated and her everyday presence was a very familiar thing to Oliver – smothering would have been an apt word.

 

He could see himself 10 years from now, doing this same walk – only he’d probably be in a slightly bigger office and she would be sporting a diamond ring that was stupidly garish and oversized.  He would be his father – a man married to a woman he didn’t love probably sleeping with the secretary he hired because her skirts were just short enough.

That would be his future if he didn’t stop and change it.

He went to say something, but before he could find the words he was sitting behind his desk staring at an inbox full of emails he didn’t care to read let alone reply to.  Auto-pilot had seen him travel up 42 floors, bid Laurel goodbye on the 25th floor, walk the marbled floors to his office, take a seat on his hardened leather chair and switch on a game of solitaire.

 _Same shit, different day_ he mused.

 

* * *

It was 12:10 and he was listless, he’d manage to avoid his father the whole day despite the fact their offices were across the hall from each other. 

Robert’s assistant – for the month at least – had walked around the glass windows of Oliver’s office more times than could have possibly being necessary.  She was attractive, caramel skin, long dark hair and legs that looked like they belonged in a calendar – Isobel he thought her name was, it wasn’t really relevant, he didn’t need to try and remember it.

It was his father’s modus operandi to hire a new young assistant, bed her and then either she would leave the firm because he was never going to leave Moira or she would be transferred.  Occasionally – for the clingy ones – he would write them a large check and then send them on their way with a file box of personal items and short goodbye.

 

Oliver had more pressing things to focus on than his Father’s latest conquest and QC’s latest sexual harassment lawsuit.  The girl from last night, when he saw her face – aside from being stunning – he saw a familiarity in it, there was something about her he couldn’t put his finger on, something that felt like a distant memory.

He opened the employees’ list and sorted it by gender and age group.  Nothing, no he didn’t know her from here, but there was something –

His phone chirped to life the number displayed was a familiar one.

“Tommy, still nursing a hangover?” Oliver laughed

“Don’t you know it.  Do you have lunch plans?” Tommy bantered

“An appointment with my accountant regarding my stock portfolio” Oliver retorted before they both broke out in laughter.

“Yeah, right.  I need a burger, I’ll meet you downstairs in 10” Tommy instructed

Oliver hung up the phone, his first genuine smile of the day appearing across his face.  He could always count on Tommy, they – at their core – were cut from similar molds, born into legacies they weren’t entirely equipped to inherit.

 

* * *

 “Where are you boys off to?” Laurel asked as Oliver and Tommy headed for the main door.

 _Did she plant a tracking device on me?_ Oliver shook his head – it wouldn’t be the first time he’d considered that she might actually do that.

“Just lunch” Oliver replied a forced smile struggling on his face.  He didn’t want here and now to be the place World War 3 happened.

“I’ll come too” she replied – with an equally forced smile.

Oliver caught Tommy’s eye role and he flashed him his best muted shoulder shrug _Sorry_.

“Where are we heading?” Laurel questioned, slipping her arm through Oliver’s – he was to be her handbag again today.

 

* * *

 

Felicity wiped the table of the recently vacated booth as she glimpsed up at the clock _12:30_ – she still had 6 hours of her shift left, with a brief break at 2:30 to pick Amelie up from pre-school and walk her back here where Rosa would collect her at 3pm – same as always.

She headed back towards the counter as she heard the _ding_ of the front door being opened.

 

“What is this place?” a female voice bemoaned – too loudly to be considered genuine interest in the establishment.

There was something else about that voice – something familiar.

She turned to greet the new customers and she almost choked on the red pen she had been subconsciously chewing.

_You have got to be kidding.  Who in the universe did I piss off this much?_

Oliver’s eyes met Felicity’s – this time in broad daylight without the heavy air of an illegal casino or the veil of a darkened alleyway – he knew that he _knew_ that face.

 

Tucking the red pen into her ponytail she grabbed three menus and pointed them in the direction of the freshly cleaned booth while making a mental note to start saying grace before eating because clearly, it would seem – she had pissed off the man upstairs and he was playing games with her.

“Welcome to Big Belly Burger, can I get you any drinks?” she smiled, directly refusing to make eye contact with him – though she felt his staring at her. 

“It’s you, from the -” Oliver began to speak but caught his words when he remembered Laurel was sitting next to him “from the club last night” he finished.

“I’m afraid you must have me mistaken for someone else.  We don’t exactly look like we would frequent the same, uh clubs” she smiled calmly – although inside she wanted to hide under the counter whilst she prayed to any deity she could think of.

Oliver went to say more, but he couldn’t without Mt Laurel erupting into a fiery volcano of angry girlfriend.

 

* * *

 

“Isn’t this place great” Tommy grinned biting into the over-sized burger he’d gleefully ordered and received “I found it like a month ago, who knew, the Glades right?”

Laurel bit into a chip and soured her lips “Yeah, great find” she mocked sarcastically.

Oliver said nothing, but tried to catch a better look at the blond as she busied herself behind the counter.  She’d said barely a word to them when collecting and delivering their orders.

“I’ll be right back” Oliver said to no one in particular as he headed towards the bathroom.  He looked back at the booth where Tommy and Laurel were engaged in some form of banter, Laurel’s back was to him so he took the opportunity and sat on one of the stools at the counter, just out of the sight line from the booth.

Felicity saw him waving her over, Beth was busy with an especially rowdy table of truckers so she wouldn’t be any help. 

She smoothed down her apron and walked stiffly across to where he’d perched himself.

“I know it’s you” he smiled, leaning in like he was afraid who was going to overhear “I’m not here to bother you, I just wanted to say I’m sorry for making you lose that money”

 _Damn right, that was for our tickets out of this place_ she lamented, her red lips staying slightly pursed.

“I want to give you that money back” he went on, sensing she was probably going to stand there silently looking at him.

“Look Oliver, I don’t want your money” she realised her mistake the instant she’d finished her sentence.

“So you do know me” he grinned, almost loudly enough to have caught Laurel’s attention.

 

He shuffled back low down into the stool.

“I know you too, right, Megan?” he read from her name tag

She had never been more thankful for Beth insisting she use her middle name because _‘some folks around here get creepy attached’_ – Beth’s words.

“No” she shook her head “It’s just that everyone knows, Oliver Queen” she shrugged

He wasn’t buying it – and she knew she wasn’t really selling it.

“So if that’s all, I better get back to work” she stepped away and moved back towards the place she’d come from.

 

Tommy had finally finished his burger as Oliver sauntered back to the table.

“Can we please go now, we have work” Laurel insisted, tugging on Oliver’s suit jacket.

“Hmm?” he hummed – he hadn’t been listening to her, his eyes and mind were somewhere else.

“I want to go” she pouted

“Sure, you guys go on ahead, I’ll settle the check”

He watched as Laurel and Tommy left, he walked back up towards the counter.  Felicity looked up at him walking towards her as she twisted the red pen around her fingers.

Before he could say a word she placed the lunch check in front of him, offered a brief curt smile and turned her back, pretending to fix the coffee machine on the bench in front of her.

He went to speak, but swallowed his words instead.

He scribbled on the paper before him, drew out his pocket book and left what he’d written inside the black folder on the counter.

She heard the _ding_ of the door again, allowing her to release the breath she didn’t realise she had been holding.

She opened the back folder.

  _I am sorry, I hope this makes up for it._

_\- Oliver_

Inside was a $300 tip in cash and a check in the sum of $20,000, with the payee left blank.

Felicity’s hand cupped her mouth, in a flash she could see her and Amelie getting out of this place, moving somewhere that didn’t hold as much pain as Starling did.

And then she heard it – the tiniest of voices, just a touch above a whisper – a little fairy telling her to stay.

 _‘Anew’_ she imagined it saying.


	4. Clear

It had been a week since Oliver had left the check. Felicity hadn’t cashed it and skipped town and she hadn’t seen him since. In the still of the night she had stared at the check her fingers lingering around the paper corners, imaging how easily she could cash it and how desperately she wanted that money, but then her eyes would fall on Amelie and she would remember the reason they hadn’t left, it was for her – it was always for her.  
  
Instead she was sitting in Rosa’s apartment with her while Amelie was curled up on the couch watching a movie about astronauts and grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Rosa was like a mother to Felicity ever since she’d shown up practically barefoot with a tiny daughter at the Church where Rosa worked and worshipped. Without a word she sensed Felicity’s distress, pulled the college dropout close into an embrace tighter than Felicity had ever experienced and brought her home to Apartment 3D.  
  
Rosa didn’t have any biological children with her late husband Michael Diggle, but she had adopted two brothers since the age of 1 and 4 respectively and they became like Felicity’s watchful big brothers. Both Andy and John had enlisted, Andy had returned to Starling a year ago and John was on his last tour and would return any day now.  
  
It was John and Andy who had taught her how to fight, she worked long hours and they had insisted that if she was going out at night then they would both be a lot happier knowing she could look after herself.  
  
Despite their closeness, she hadn’t told Rosa about the check, mostly because she knew what she would say. She never wanted to leave this small family that she had come to love, but as Amelie grew so did her almost startling resemblance to her father. No one ever asked about him, it was almost like an unwritten rule, but Felicity saw it and she was worried one day others might as well.  
  
“Finish your snack bebita” Rosa chirped happily  
Amelie bounced off the couch and skipped into the kitchen.

Felicity smiled as she touched the soft blond curls falling around Amalie’s face, she tucked them behind her ear and rubbed her nose against her temple – their own special _I love you_.  
  
“Momma, when its my birthday, if I tell you my wish, does that mean it won’t come true?” Amelie questioned her tiny brow furrowed with worry

“Mommies don’t count in that rule” Felicity whispered “you can tell me anything at all”.  
  
Her brow smoothed as her eyes widened and she nodded in agreement to whatever thought process her young mind was having. She knelt on the chair, her mouth in line with Felicity’s ear, placing a hand either side of her head she pulled Felicity in close and whispered into her ear.  
  
“I'm going to wish for daddy to find us”  
  
Felicity felt a lump rise in her throat, she could never bring herself to outright lie to Amelie when she asked about her father, she had merely told her he was lost to them and when she was older she would explain it better. The little girl would accept it, then come back and regale everyone with a tale of how her daddy was overseas like Big Uncle Digg and that soon he would come back.  Felicity never had the heart to tell her the truth.  
  
The truth was that only 4 other people who knew who Amelie’s father was – Rosa was one of them.  
  
Felicity hadn’t meant to tell her, but as she sat blurry eyed and cross legged on the couch all those years ago, wrapping her long dark hair around her fingers and feeling like she hadn’t slept for days, she just blurted out his name. Rosa had sat for a moment letting the name settle in her mind before she spoke up. She never spoke without first knowing exactly what she needed to say.  
  
She had asked Felicity if he knew.  
_No._  
Why?  
_She had tried, it didn’t go well and she didn’t want to speak anymore about that_  
Rosa had finished by offering the sagely advice that one day when it became less about what Felicity _wanted_ and more about what Amelie _needed_ , then maybe that would be the time to try again.  
  
Felicity stared at the clock on the wall, it was time for her to go. She had picked up an extra Saturday shift at her second job at Tech Village, a job that was far more akin to her nature, given she had been building computers since she was 7 and was once ranked 2nd in the National Information Technology competition when she was 19 - exactly 2 months before - _before it happened._  
  
“Mom has to go to work, be a good girl for nana my love” Felicity smiled, playfully tousling Amelie's long blond hair.  
  
“I love you momma” Amelie replied blowing three sequential hand kisses

Felicity fixed her hair into a ponytail, smoothed out her blue  _Tech Village_ polo shirt and placed her glasses on, a look she was far more comfortable with.

 

* * *

  
  
  
“Really Ollie, you didn't think you should discuss this with me?” Laurel tersely spoke, her arms crossed across her chest, her stance clearly one on the offence.  
  
“I need my own place again, it was never my attention to move back into my childhood room” Oliver retorted he eyes narrowing in frustration.  
  
“It's not always about what you want” her voice was raising and all he heard were the nights in his young life when he had listened to his parents arguing.  
  
“It's _never_ about what I want” he snapped back, pacing around the overly spacious room.  
  
“Why don't you just say what it is you want to say, hmm, Ollie”

  
There was so much venom in her voice, he couldn't pinpoint when they had gone from lovers to people who basically couldn't stand each other.  
  
If he had to guess, he would say a year ago when he couldn't save _her_ and his months in solitude had made him question a lot of things. When Oliver came back to Laurel he was different, but she couldn't see it.  
  
“We can't keep having this fight Laurel” he breathed “you and I need to finish this, us”  
  
The slap was square across his jaw and deep down he thought he probably deserved it, not for now but for the years prior that he hadn't been what she deserved or what she needed.  
  
For the first time, in a long time – as he heard the door slam behind her – he knew he had made the right choice.

* * *

  
  
With a duffle bag thrown over one shoulder and a loaded suitcase dragging along behind him, he wished his room a silent goodbye.  
  
Tommy had found him a penthouse apartment in the City, a place where Oliver was determined to try to remember how to live again.  
  
He walked down the hall, passed Thea's room and towards the stairs. Stopping he rested the suitcase against the balustrade and reluctantly walked back to Thea's room. He stood in the doorway, his hand firm against the opened wooden door.  
  
“Bye little sis” he sighed to the hauntingly empty bedroom.  
  
As he turned to leave a photo on her desk caught his eye. He hesitated before stepping into the bedroom and walked with unnecessary caution to the desk that stood in front of the large arched window.

 

He picked up the photo, it had to be at least 5 years old, but there smiling up at him posed next to Thea in matching t-shirts was _th_ _at face_ – he knew it.

So much became clear, but now he was left with more questions than answers.


	5. History

**January 2009**

  
Felicity ran a brush quickly through her dyed black hair with one hand as the other ran a toothbrush across her teeth. She still wasn’t sure how her lecturer had talked her into this. She was graduating this year, she could literally think of a 101 things she should be doing instead of showing an academically failing rich kid what he or she could become.

Her black polished fingers tapped out the run command for the new algorithm she was working on that would hopefully be able to bounce a wireless signal off three trajectories – in theory at least. She locked the laptop, slipped on her black skinny jeans and left the dorm room.

* * *

 

  
“Why do I need to be here again, this isn’t exactly my idea of a fun Saturday” Thea sighed, picking imaginary dirt from under her perfectly manicured fingertips.

She was all of 14, but based on the looks she was receiving from the college guys that walked passed, the world have assumed the pretty brunette in the short skirt was at least 18.

“Because dear, you’re on academic probation and you’re failing high school” Moira commented, her eyes glued to the cell phone in her hands “this” she gestured “might make you think more about your future”

“MIT isn’t exactly a fit for me” she retorted – she didn’t expect a reply when Moira had her phone out, which was more often the case than not.

“Hi, I’m Felicity Smoak” Felicity managed a smile as she extended her hand.  
“Do I know you?” Thea quipped raising an eyebrow at the extended hand sporting black nail varnish.  
“No, you don’t, that’s why I said Hi, my name is Felicity Smoak, they call it an introduction” she replied, the sarcasm virtually dripping from her words.  
Thea just stared back, her arms crossed and her face showing very clearly what Felicity was thinking - It was going to be a long day.

“I’ll be your tour guide of the facilities today, basically you both can just follow me around for the day and ask any questions you want” Felicity summarized what she had been instructed, she assumed the whole exercise was to show those who were planning on relying on their trust funds that there could be more to life than Bentleys and vacations in France.

She also suspected she had been roped into it because of her apparent – to everyone – dislike of trust fund children who drove Bentleys and vacationed in France. She made a mental note to try and filter her feelings towards that section of the upper class, lest her lecturers try to pull this stunt again.

“You go on Thea, I have some business meetings to attend in the city” Moira waved her daughter off and headed towards the waiting limo.

Felicity noted she hadn’t looked up once from the phone screen and left her 14 year old daughter with a complete stranger on a college campus crammed full of hormonally charged 18+ year old males. No wonder this girl is failing high school.

“Well, then, what would you like to see first?” Felicity asked while secretly wishing the ground would swallow her up.  
“I get you don’t want to be here with me, the dumb spoilt rich kid”  
Astute Felicity thought  
“So you can just leave, I’ll catch a ride to my brother’s campus, we can just tell people we did this thing, deal?” Thea finished, her body had become less rigid and she was kicking her shoe into the dirt.

Felicity went to agree to that favourable contract, until she noticed the young girl’s demeanour, she was scared, she was sad and given her mother had practically pushed her out of the nest, so to speak, Felicity got the distinct impression all this girl really wanted was someone to take an interest.

You’ve become a bleeding heart for trust fund children – will wonders never cease to amaze.

“Well, you can’t very well leave without trying the cereal buffet, it’s pretty much the best thing about this place” Felicity smiled, not forced this time, extending her hand once again.  
Thea genuinely smiled back “Thea Queen” she said as she returned the gesture and they shook hands.

“As in Queen Consolidated?” Felicity asked as they moved towards the mess hall  
“Yeah” Thea smiled “most college girls would ask ‘as in Oliver Queen’” she laughed  
“I’m positive I don’t know that name” Felicity replied truthfully  
“Well, you must be a rare find” Thea laughed, her body relaxing in the presence of someone who hadn’t slept with her brother rare indeed

* * *

 

  
The two unlikely companions spent the day wandering around campus, Thea wasn’t interested in the technology aspects of the University but she had shown surprising interest in the architecture department.

They had stopped at Felicity’s room as she was chomping at the bit to see if her algorithm had worked.  
“YES!” she cheered, her fist reactively pumping the air.  
“Good news then?” Thea laughed taking a seat on the bed.  
“I was trying to do this insanely difficult thing and it worked” she excitedly recounted.  
“I envy you, being passionate about something” Thea flopped down onto the bed.  
Felicity smiled as she tapped out some further commands “you have years to find that something, it’ll come”.

“Your family company has an amazing applied sciences department, what I wouldn’t give to nosey around there” Felicity smiled, her voice always gained an octave when she spoke about computer sciences.  
“Dad always brings in interns over the summer, I could put in a good word for you” Thea casually remarked “in return for your card for the cereal buffet” she added with a grin.  
“That’s a deal I would make” Felicity replied, thinking it likely not to eventuate but an exciting thought nevertheless.

As they rounded corner on their way back to the meeting point arranged between Thea and Moira, Felicity couldn’t help notice the young girl’s sudden discord, she went to say something when two very busty blonds approached, they took one look at Thea and spoke in hushed tones to each other.

“You’re Thea Queen right?” the taller one of the two questioned while the other one seemed to be attempting to stare Felicity down, much to her amusement.

“Yeah, uh huh” Thea reluctantly answered  
“As in Oliver Queen’s sister?”  
Huh, there is was Felicity smiled recalling Thea’s comment earlier in the day.  
“Can you give him my number...” she was reaching into her bag  
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen” Felicity mocked, leading Thea away from the man-meat vultures.

“You see what I mean?” Thea smirked nodding her head back towards where the girls were still standing  
“Your brother must be quite the Adonis” Felicity smiled, she had enjoyed her time with Thea, she was articulate and genuinely kind when she wasn’t putting on a pretence of someone different.  
“You have my number, you can call if you want to chat or something” Felicity offered, maybe this girl just needed people in her corner.

Thea smiled and nodded her thanks but as they rounded the next corner to the car park she stopped in her tracks.  
“Oh god” she muttered just loud enough for Felicity to hear  
Felicity looked around wondering what Thea was reacting to.

Directly in their line of sight was a tall, well-built encapsulation of an alpha male, leaning against the side of a jet black Bentley convertible.

He waved and began to stride over, Felicity couldn’t help but notice him and the tight grey t-shirt that stretched over his perfectly toned physique. Adonis may have been fitting.

It suddenly all made sense.  
“Mom got busy, she sent me” he grinned giving Thea a hug, which was likely just to embarrass her.  
“Figured she ditch me” Thea shrugged.

Oliver turned, finally noticing the young raven haired beauty next to Thea.  
“Oliver” he smiled, his perfectly chiselled jaw catching the light just right as he extended his hand.  
“Felicity” she replied politely  
“Well thank you Fe-li-ci-ty” he drew out each syllable “for looking after my baby sister”

He was pouring on the charm thick and fast and while Felicity could readily acknowledge he was very good looking, she really had no interest in someone like him.

“It was nice to meet you Thea” Felicity said turning to dace her.  
Quite surprisingly Thea leant in and hugged her tightly “thanks” she quietly said into her ear, spoken out of genuine appreciation.

Oliver was slightly bemused, most college girls would have already given him their numbers – he had collected 5 in the 10 minutes he’d been waiting, but the raven in the dark tight jeans wasn’t giving him anything.

“There’s a party at my campus tonight, you should come” he smiled rubbing the side of her arm  
Felicity noticed nice try  
“I’ve got work to do but thanks”  
On a Saturday – she was different to the status quo girl he usually picked up.  
“I’m sure Thea would love to see you there” he pushed, prodding Thea with his elbow.

“It would suck less if you could make it” Thea smiled genuinely, it wasn’t for Oliver’s sake, in all honesty Felicity had spoken and listened to her in a way that was foreign to Thea – it was out of genuine interest in her.

“I’ll see if I can drop by” Felicity replied, her body turned toward Thea

* * *

 

  
Oliver was pacing the halls of the house as the party went on around him. Moira had told him to keep Thea occupied for the night and she would send a car in the morning.  
He couldn’t get his mind off Felicity, she was stunning and she presented him with a challenge. He and Laurel were on yet another break and he was using the freedom that afforded him to have a little fun, but Felicity seemed like a different calibre of conquest.

In only the matter of minutes he had spent near her, his eyes lingering on her, he had decided she was someone you date, not just someone you screw. She was physically different to his usual cookie cutter type, which excited him more than he expected him too, maybe something, someone different was what he was looking for.

* * *

 

  
Thea sat on the wooden bench in the back yard of the party house, idly kicking her feet across the ground and cracking the plastic rim of the empty red cup between her fingers.

“Need another?” a smooth voiced cooed from behind, holding a red cup down in front of her “just coke, scouts honour” he smiled coming around the front  
Thea shrugged, he was probably just a frat boy Oliver had sent to babysit her while he groped desperate undergrads.

She took the cup from his hands and took a sip “thanks”

* * *

 

  
Felicity looked up at the house that was flooding the neighbourhood with noise and lights, she really wasn’t sure why she had shown up, this was so far removed from anything she considered fun, but on a whim she had thrown on a pair of leather leggings and a dark grey scoop neck tank top and here she was.

She contemplated turning and hightailing it right out of there but she had come all this way she would find Thea and then head off to finish the three assignments that were due the following week.

The front door was blocked by two very drunk people making out and grinding against the door frame. She decided a back entrance might be safer.

Following the path around through the back gate a couple groping on a bench caught her eye, she instantly wanted to tell them to get a room but she held her tongue. As the path moved slightly closer to the beach, the lights from the window afforded her a better view.

“Thea?” she practically yelped, the guy looked about 10 years her senior  
He looked up sheepishly, but Thea barely registered the interruption, instead her head flopped down onto her chest.  
“Thea?” Felicity did yell that time – barely a head tilt.  
“Shit” she heard the sleazy guy mutter as he took off into the house.

Felicity skidded around to the front of the bench, “hey, Thea” she shook her but her eyes were only flickering open and not focusing.  
Thea mumbled something Felicity couldn’t understand.  
“It’s ok, let’s get you safe”.

Felicity helped Thea stand, she was rocky but she could stand. She was a bean pole of a thing, so it wasn’t a strain as Felicity put Thea’s arm around her shoulders and placed her own arm around the back of her waist, walking her back towards where Felicity had parked her yellow VW beetle.

She bundled her inside it, buckling the seat belt around her floppy body and once she too was buckled, she headed straight for the hospital.

* * *

 

  
Felicity scrolled through the contacts on Thea’s phone as the nurse made a now sleeping Thea comfortable. They had suspected rohypnol had been placed in her drink, but because Felicity could provide no information on the matter they had decided to pump her stomach to be on the safe side then they had given her a sedative so she could rest.

Felicity had scrolled passed ‘Mom’ on the phone, guessing Thea would really not want her to make that call. She stopped at ‘Ollie’ and pushed call.

The conversation was terse and short and she sarcastically suggested that if he could remove his own head from his ass, he best be at the hospital as fast as his penis on display car could take him - she didn’t exactly hold back.

He arrived 10 minutes later and Felicity left the room as he took a seat next to his sister. She noticed through the windows as she waited outside that he was genuinely upset, his head cradled in his cupped hands, shaking back and forth, then reaching to touch her hand as she slept. Perhaps, she thought, she had been too hard on him.

He left the room, his eyes showing a level of concern she wasn’t expecting.  
“I don’t know what to say, just thank you” he breathed, any residual fake charm long gone in his voice “I thought she would be ok there”

“Really, you thought your 14 year old sister, who looks like a gorgeous supermodel fyi, would be O-kay at a frat party?” Felicity snipped

“You’re right, it was stupid, I just had my mind on something else” he sighed, she started to feel a little bad for snapping at him, as it appeared he wasn’t letting himself off the hook.  
“On what?” she heard herself ask  
“On you” he remarked, his watery blue eyes catching hers.  
“Oh”

 

 

 

 


	6. Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning: the Smut has landed, I repeat the Smut has landed.

**February 2009**

 

Felicity was almost in, she tapped the codes, expected the results, three trojans, but nothing she couldn't handle. She had found what she had been searching for, it was pretty simple really, she just wanted to see if she could.

Her cell phone chirped beside her as she sat crossed legged on the bed, her laptop perched on a pillow. She glanced down and a small coy smile rose onto her face.

“You really should stop calling me, my boyfriend might threaten to kick your ass” she grinned into the phone.

“I bet he's extremely charming and devilishly good looking” Oliver laughed – Felicity could visual the smile across his face. “Are you busy?”

“Just trying to bypass some security systems” Felicity nonchalantly replied  
“Can I come over?” he purred in a voice that Felicity was growing more attached to

It was all new, they hadn't even slept together, but after the hospital he had relentlessly pursued her, sent her flowers asked her out a million times and slowly she had seen him as something different to the _Ollie_ that seduced short skirts. She had seen him as someone who she thought – perhaps naively – could genuinely care about her.

She had rejected his advances and invitations mostly because of Thea. She had used the number Felicity had given to call a number of times – just to chat. She didn't want to talk about what happened at the party – but Felicity had hopes that one day she would, if but for no other reason than to not be burdened by it alone. It seemed Thea had come to see Felicity as an adoptive big sister and Felicity, feeling the girl was more fragile than she let on, refused to jeopardise that bond for something that could flitter into nothing faster than he could remove his pants.

But about 2 weeks ago Thea had said she knew Oliver had been asking her out, she offered the insight that he seemed different about Felicity – almost middle school about his attraction to her and that Thea was ok – _more than ok_ – with it, if she wanted to finally say yes to him.

So, Felicity finally said yes and he was more gentlemanly than she could have imagined, opening the doors, asking her questions and listening to the answers. But what she noticed the most was how incredibly nervous he was – it was irrevocably endearing.

He had told her straight and honestly that he was invested in this and, if she would have him, he would like to be her boyfriend. It was sweet with the simplest of motives, she had decided to take a chance on a trust fund kid who drove a Bentley – wonders .

She bit her lip feverishly as his words echoed in her ear  
_Can I come over_

She was a woman and he was gorgeous – extremely. She wasn't a prude by any means and she'd thought about it, sure. But she wasn't ready for that with him .

Sensing her internal struggle, he added “I just have something I want to give you, promise, it'll be good, you'll love it”  
_He could still mean sex, she would enjoy that_  
“OK, you can come tonight” - yes, she had heard that “come _over_ tonight”.  
“I'll meet you outside in 10” she smiled, her face turning a bright shade of red

* * *

 

  
“Hi” Oliver smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands perched just above the small of her back where her shirt had slightly raised, his thumb was gently rubbing against her skin.

How did his thumb – his thumb – feel _THAT_ good against her skin.

She felt herself sigh.  
“Um, so what did you want to give me?” she asked, trying not to melt into the simplest of touches he was giving her.  
“Upstairs” he smiled nodding upwards

She took him upstairs, careful not to make noise as the last thing she wanted was the gossip if the whole floor saw her with him , gorgeous him .

They stepped in his room and when she kicked the door closed his lips were instantly upon hers, like he had been holding that in since the beginning of time.

She felt herself melt into him, her body falling against the door. It was going to take every ounce of self control she had to pull away from that deep of a kiss.

She didn't have to as he pulled away, his hand grazing the underside of her jaw a section of her hair falling softly between his fingers as he pulled his hand away.

“First I wanted to give you that” he whispered, his lips so close to her ear she could feel them dance against her skin  
“And now, close your eyes” his dancing lips instructed  
_She obeyed_  
She could feel her chest rising with each breath she took. Even with her eyes closed she could sense him, standing so close and extended fingertip could touch him she was sure of it. She heard a zipper opening – _Oh god, what was he doing?_

His breath quickened.  
“Okay open them” another whispered instruction she instantly obeyed  
Her eyes blinked as she realised he was still fully clothed and holding out a small lanyard with a tag attached.  
She plucked it from his hands and stared down at it – was it really what she thought it was?

“Is this?” she panted excitedly  
“Welcome to the Queen Consolidated springbreak intern programme” he grinned, enchanted by the sheer delight plastered across her face.

She let out an uncontrolled scream and jumped into his arms, which he wasn't quite expecting and they fell backwards together onto her single bed.

She screamed again – it was completely out of her control.  
Her dorm neighbour banged on the adjoining wall causing both Oliver and Felicity to burst out laughing. Her lying on top of him, his arms holding her there.

* * *

 

  
**March 2009**

 

“Are you sure it's okay?” Felicity asked, which would have made it the 27th time in the last hour.  
“Yes, I promise, they're excited to meet you” Oliver smiled his hand gently rubbing her back as she threw her last suitcase in the back of her car.

“You told them right?” she mocked turning to face him her arms settling around his waist  
“The house is so big, I figured they wouldn't notice you, seeing as you're so small” he joked lifting her a foot off the ground. “see, tiny”

She kissed his forehead as he placed her feet back on the ground.

“We should get going” he sighed, knowing that would mean he would have to let her go.  
“Don't sped off in your penis on display, or I'll get lost” she mocked as he opened her driver's door and ushered her inside.

He leant in the open window after closing the door and kissed her cheek. As he pulled away she caught him wink and it made her grin stupidly.

He got into his own car parked in front and they started the journey to Starling City.

* * *

 

  
She was astutely aware she was probably not the normal type of girl that Oliver would bring home, she wasn't blond (well, she was naturally, but that was a well kept secret), she didn't wear dresses with tiny hearts on them, she didn't have a last name that was synonymous with money, she never attended private school and she made money tutoring maths and working in copy shop – none of that screamed Oliver Queen's normal date.

She closed the door on her car and stared up at the giant house, she was pretty sure it was larger than her dorm building combined with the one next door. Oliver wasn't joking when he said they might not even notice her there.

The door opened and Thea came running down the steps, giving Felicity a hug before she even acknowledged Oliver's presence.

Felicity noted Thea seemed different from the first time she met her – back then she was a despondent teenager with a sour face and a grudge against the world, now she was smiling, happy and – Oliver had told her – Thea had even being pulling up her grades and was talking about a future in architecture. Felicity had been right all along, she just needed someone to give a damn.

Sensing her overwhelming nervous desire to throw up Oliver grabbed Felicity's hand and gave it a little squeeze.  
“Ollie before you go in..” Thea started, but never finished because as the three walked forward someone else walked out of the front door.

“Yeah, her..” Thea mumbled under her breath as Felicity noticed Oliver's face turn to a scowl.

“Hi Ollie” Laurel smiled as she walked up and stood in front of Felicity, her eyebrows raising as she was internally critiquing Felicity's choice of footwear – combat boots “Who's your friend ?” the way she spoke that last word was like someone talking about Hitler – complete disgust.

“This is my girlfriend Felicity” he retorted, squeezing her hand again – Felicity thought for his own benefit that time.

Thea had told Felicity about Laurel, her description of her as a forked tongue serpent wasn't entirely accurate, truth was she was gorgeous – she was clearly the type of girl Oliver usually brought home.

“I see” another look at the boots “well, your mom invited me to dinner, she thought it might be fun”

Felicity could almost feel both Thea's and Oliver's eyes roll in unison.  
_Fun_.

* * *

 

  
Dinner was the least fun Felicity had ever had. There was a giant air of awkward hanging over the table. Moira barely acknowledged her, Robert had said a brief hello and then removed himself to the office – something no one but Felicity seemed surprised about – Laurel sat opposite Felicity and she could have sworn she was counting the mouthfuls Felicity took.

Every time Moria spoke it was to engage with Laurel about how law school as going and how wonderful her hair was looking. Each statement caused Oliver to white-knuckle the arm of the chair.

He had mentioned to Moira that Felicity was doing a masters in computer sciences to which Moira replied with the word “Quaint”  
_Quaint_ – such a polite word with such impolite overture.

Thea basically pushed a pea around her plate the entire time, occasionally looking up to smile apologetically to Felicity who simply smiled back.

* * *

 

  
“I don't even know what to say about that, sorry” Oliver fumed as he closed the door in the guest room that had been made up for Felicity.

“You don't have to be sorry” Felicity smiled, it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would. Honestly, she never expected to be Moria's 'type' and Laurel could hate on her shoes all she wanted – she loved these boots and she loved Oliver – _wait, what?_

She caught her inner voice and she knew what it had just announced inside her head. That was something she was not prepared to share right now.

“They treated you like dirt, it just makes me so mad” Oliver was still fuming.

Felicity planted a kiss on his cheek and led him over to one of the large windows that looked out across the yard.

“What's that?” she questioned pointing to a round target board set up in the distance.  
“It's for archery, I've been doing it since I was about 5” he responded, his arms finally coming to rest around her waist, his head laying on her shoulder.

* * *

 

  
The clock on the desk flashed 11:05pm as Felicity sat at the desk typing a series of data that was part of an amalgamation of code that was central to her year long assignment for her final marks. It would be the best programme she had written, it was her baby and she had spent countless hours working on it – living and breathing in the code and occasionally dreaming about it.

There was a soft knock on the door which drew her attention away from the screen. She rubbed her eyes, the contacts were dry. She put down the pen she'd been chewing on and padded over to the door. It creaked open and Oliver slipped in, closing it carefully behind him.

His hands cupped the back of her head as he pulled her in for a lingering kiss.

“What are you doing here Oliver?” she whispered – Moria had been quite clear about where each of them would be spending the night – in their own rooms.

She sat back down at the desk and continued typing as Oliver lay down on the still made bed.  
“I have work to do” she sighed

“I missed you” she could sense he was pouting even with her back turned  
“Just a few more lines” she hushed. She stopped typing an stared at the screen, something was off – she'd made a mistake. “Damnit” she mumbled  
“You need a break” he remarked sitting up in the bed as Felicity spun the desk chair around to face him.  
“I need this to work, it will be my lasting legacy” she smiled “it's what I've spent the last 2 years working towards”  
“Felicity Smoak you are the smartest person I know, you will take the world by storm” he smiled gesturing her to come closer.

She moped over to where he was sitting. She stood between his legs, her head dropping on to his. Maybe he was right, maybe it was time for a break.

His hand grazed over the curve of her butt and slid under her lose button down shirt, coming to rest in the small of her back. His thumb rubbed against her hip, gently in a rhythmic circular motion.

“Your skin is so soft” he sighed, his eyes closing as his hands skipped around her hips like he was reading Braille.  
She breathed deeply, her body relaxing in his arms as she leant her head down to kiss him.

He pulled her closer, tighter so her knees came to rest on the edge of the bed between his own legs.

He nuzzled her neck softly dragging his lips across it, her head falling to the other side, her breath slow and steady.

His hands moved the front of her body, his lips moved up her neck. His fingertips caught the first button on her shirt and in virtual slow motion released it, followed up the next one down which exposed the tip of her black bra.

His lips moved to the exposed part of her chest as he unbuttoned the third and fourth buttons. His mouth moved slowly across her chest down to the centre of her breast bone, his warm breath moistening her skin. The last button gave way to his advances and his hands ran up her arms and slipped under the material, slipping the shirt off her shoulders and gently skating it down her arms till it dropped to the floor behind her.

She walked her fingers across his chest, tugging at the black tank top. He stood up, pulling the shirt with one hand off his body, exposing his perfect physique.

Felicity bit her lip as her eyes traced his naked chest, it was as she imagined it would be. She timidly allowed her fingers to explore each curve of each muscle as he stood his eyes never leaving hers.

His hands moved up her spine, sending a rush of pleasure to her insides. They reached the clip of her bra, his eyes searching for her okay for him to continue, she nodded then kissed him deeply, releasing a rush of passion that had ignited inside her.

Her bra was discarded next to her shirt as they moved together, their lips speeding up the pace of their amorous pleasure seeking.

The slow wave had passed as they both gave into the moment, breaking from the kiss for only a moment to remove their remaining clothes, they swiftly collided back together. Quickened now, hurried as they spun around and he lay her onto the bed.

He pulled back from the kiss as his hand lingered against her back and his eyes smiled, surveying her body underneath him.

She moaned as his mouth moved down her neck, shoulder and collar bone coming to rest above her erect nipple, as he kissed her breast his chin rubbed against her nipple making her expel a breath as her head pulled back.

The hand that wasn't balancing him barely above her glided up her smooth leg and settled between her thighs. As he rubbed the outside of her, she caressed his back, his perfectly smooth and defined back, her face pulled forward and buried itself in his shoulder clavicle biting down softly as his fingers entered her.

She felt her body twitching at his touch, her body opening to him. He licked her delicately acorss her nipple before taking it into his mouth, sucking and tugging erotically as his fingers danced her arousal higher and higher.  
“Oliver” she whispered into his ear, her feet curling against the lavishly expensive bed linen “I'm ready” she finished, her voice soft, her back arched and her eyes dead set on him.

His mouth met with hers as her legs spread wider to allow his body to push up against her. One leg wrapped around him, her heel urging him in as his penis skated around her opening.

Their eyes linked as her entered her, she gasped a little, his engorged member sliding against her walls. She moaned as he went deeper, his pelvis rocking up against hers.

His thrust quickened as she pawed at his back, her nails tightening against his flesh. He dropped his head to her neck, the hot air from his breath warm against her naked skin. His tongue danced along her, breathing her in, tasting the small beads of sweat that had formed on her.

He thrust again as her walls milked around him, her release coming first, the sensation of it building his to the brink. Again, deeper as he felt his own climax. Panting he kissed her neck as he lingered inside her.

“I love you” he whispered  
_Good, he had said it first_  
“I love you too”

 


	7. Break

**April 2009**

 

It had only been 2 weeks, but it had been long enough for Felicity to know she needed a job at Queen Consolidated. Thankfully for her, she had virtually been offered one after graduation and a further internship the next break. So as she sat on the padded blue lawn chair, her laptop perched on the matching ottoman, her eyes watching Oliver as he aimed the arrow he had carefully nocked – everything felt like it was falling into place.

She had spent her days eyeing up the amazing tech that was at the forefront of the applied sciences division and she had spent her nights secretly holed up in the bedroom with Oliver.

Thea handed Felicity a tall glass of ice tea and sat down on the neighbouring chair.  
“He’s so showing off for you” she laughed placing her drink on the table between them.  
Felicity nodded knowingly.  
“Hey, I got you something” Thea grinned passing Felicity a beautifully wrapped gift box.

  
Felicity set down her drink and unwrapped the box, inside was a black Polo Shirt with the words _Queen Consolidated_ embroidered on the left lapel.

Felicity grinned “I love it, thank you”.

  
Thea pulled out a second one from a bag beside her.  
“Matching t-shirt photo op” she laughed slipping the t-shirt over her clothes  
“Most definitely” Felicity agreed, doing the same.

A snapshot to preserve this moment in time before she returned to school tomorrow.

* * *

  
“I don’t like it” Moira exclaimed as she stood in front of the bay window of Robert’s office, her eyes firmly fixed on the three outside, although her words were directed at only one.

“Mmmm” Robert responded, his eyes glued to the paperwork in front of him.  
“Robert” Moira hissed, demanding his attention.

  
Reluctantly he put the pen down and looked up.  
“If you’re talking about Oliver’s latest, I’m sure it’ll pass. She did however get exceptional feedback from her supervisors on the brief internship, I think they offered her a further one down the track”

Moira's lips constricted as she paced up to Robert’s desk.  
“A girl like that has no place in my son’s life or legacy. Girls like _that_ are after a name and a trust fund”  
Robert sighed, Moira had cast her vote and he knew that was that.  
“What would you have me do dear?” he breathed, almost mocking  
“Extract her from his life” she coldly replied turning her eyes back towards the yard “soon, before he grows too attached”  
“Whatever you want” Robert dutifully replied, his attention turning back to the paperwork still on his desk.

* * *

  
They parted with a kiss as Oliver closed the door of Felicity’s car.  
“Are you sure you won’t get lost?” he grinned his hand teasingly playing with her long hair.  
“I’ll be fine, but I’ll miss you” she sighed clipping her seat belt on.

Oliver had decided to take a leave of absence from college – Felicity had argued with him over it, but his father had convinced him he needed to spend a couple of weeks in their London branch, that it would be more useful to him than Shakespeare and frat parties. Oliver had reluctantly agreed and he was to be on a flight early the next morning.

 

“I’ll see you in 2 weeks” he smiled as he leant in the window of the car, his mouth close against her ear “and I will ravish you” he whispered.

Felicity kissed his cheek and started the car as Thea waved from the entrance.

 _Two weeks_ she thought to herself, _she could last 2 weeks_.

* * *

  
It had only been 4 days and she was missing him like crazy.  
They hadn’t spoken since their goodbye as London seemed to be keeping him busy, classes had been full on for her and then there was the time difference.

She had tried to ring him, but his cell phone was being answered by an assistant who always said he was _tied up_ – which made her smirk at the picture she was drawing in her mind – she missed him alright.

She had emailed, but she wasn’t getting any response. She wasn’t particularly worried about his radio silence, he would be back in 10 days tops.

* * *

  
“And you’re sure no phone calls or emails are getting through?” Moira questioned down the phone  
“Yes ma’am, all calls from her number to your son or daughter are rerouted to a third party, same with any calls made from them to her”  
“And emails?”  
“Same process ma’am”  
“Good, good” she mused as she hung up the phone.  
She knew it wasn’t a permanent fix, but if she could break their contact for a period of time that would make the extraction easier.

Her fingers tapped across the folder security had given her 3 months ago when Oliver had started talking about a tech savvy brunette from MIT named Felicity. There was nothing inherently bad in her file, but Moira was not about to let the daughter of a Vegas cocktail waitress and a convicted felon be a part of the family name, a name in which she had done many dubious things to protect.

She knew what was best for her son, _that_ type of girl wasn’t it.

* * *

  
Seven days and still nothing from her. He tried to call her multiple times but it would go straight to voicemail and despite his many messages, she hadn’t called him back. He had sent her an email explaining they were sending him to Tokyo for another few weeks.

  
The distance was killing him and her radio silence was beginning to worry him. He picked up the phone and tried again.

* * *

  
**Early May 2009**

 

Felicity felt a sudden wave wash over her similar to the seasickness she had gotten on the ferry ride she’d taken in New York. She wasn’t focusing on what the lecturer was saying all she could think about was what she could grab to throw up in.

 

She rushed from the class and made it – just – to a rubbish bin where she promptly lost her breakfast.

She contemplated going back to the class, but decided instead to go back to her room. As she wandered back a smell caught her nose, _oh god,_ _hot dogs_ the smell of them was enough to flip her stomach.

She cupped her mouth with her hand and sprinted back to her room.

She made it just in time to lose some more food in the toilet bowl.  
“Carrots? When did I eat carrots?” she bemoaned

 

She was washing her hands when she was startled by a loud banging on the dorm room door.

She dried her hands and opened the door. She was met with the faces of a campus security guard flanked by two uniformed officers.

“We have a warrant to search this room” one of the uniforms announced pushing a piece of paper hard against her.

She stepped back in confusion as the three entered her single room and began looking around.  
“What are you looking for?” she questioned another wave of nausea rolling up.  
She swallowed it down as they directed her to stay where she was.

 

From under the mattress one pulled a large snap lock back which contained about 50 little pink pills bagged into groups of about 5.

The three looked at her as one reached for his cuffs and began to say something.

The rest was a blur, although she did remember throwing up on his shoes before she fainted.

* * *

  
They had booked her, fingerprinted her and taken a blood sample.

She still didn’t understand, those pills weren’t hers – she had never touched drugs before let alone tried to sell it like they were inferring.

So there she sat in the interview room, her legs pulled into her chest picking nail polish nervously off her fingers.

  
The door opened and a female officer walk in, closing the door behind her.

“I need to talk to you about your test results” she half smiled setting a folder on the table as she took a seat opposite.

Felicity sat silently, hugging her knees for comfort.

“You're clear of any drugs in your system” she was reading off the paper in front of her “but are you aware you're pregnant?”.

 

Felicity wasn't sure how long it was that she had her mouth gapping open for. She tried to the last time she had a period but it was always a little inconvenient to have, so she would just keep taking the pill and miss it. How long had it been?

 _Pregnant?_ She was going to throw up again.

“Would you like to make a phone call now?” the officer questioned, breaking the silence in the room.

_Pregnant?_

“Oliver” Felicity muttered, her head falling onto her knees that were still tightly gripped against her body.

 

She wasn't allowed to make an overseas call so she had no way of getting hold of him. She would have tried Thea, but it was the middle of the day, she would be at school – and this was hardly something she could explain to her boyfriend's little sister.

 

She didn't want to make that call, but it was the only option she had left to try and get hold of him. It had been two weeks, he should have been back from London by now. Maybe luck would be on her side.

 

She drew a breath and dialled the number.

“Queen residence” a softly spoken voice answered

“Is Oliver there please?”

“I'm sorry, he's in Tokyo on business, can I take a message”

 _Tokyo?_ He was supposed to be in London, not Tokyo

“Hello?” the voice on the other end broke the silence

Felicity hung up without another word, her mind was spiralling.

* * *

 

“Felicity, please just call me back” Oliver sighed into the phone as he received her voicemail yet again.

His mind was spiralling, why wasn't she contacting him.

 

He dialled a number he knew off by heart and waited for someone to answer.

“Queen residence” a softly spoken voice he recognised answered

“Raisa, it's Oliver is mom there?”

“Ah, Oliver” she chirped, happy to hear his voice “I will get her”

“Oliver?” Moira spoke into the phone

“Mom, have you heard from Felicity?” he question, his brow furrowed with concern

“No son, have you not?”

“I can't get hold of her, she doesn't answer her phone or reply to any of my emails, mom I'm worried, please just send someone to check on her or something, I tried ringing the school but they say I'm not family, I don't even know what that means” he rattled off, rubbing his temple as he spoke.

“I'll see what I can do son” Moira replied calmly

 

They hung up from each other and Moira sighed. She knew what was best for her son, even when he didn't.

* * *

 

“I don't know what to tell you son, the message was relayed to me like that” Moira breathed down the phone line.

“She just said she didn't want to see me again, that's it, nothing else”

“That's it Oliver” she lied – truth was she had spent the last hour getting her nails done and arranging an extra nail in the coffin of this silly relationship.

“I told her she should contact you, I don't really want to get in the middle of this Oliver”

 

Oliver stared around his Tokyo office, _that was that then?_

As his mind tried to come up with some reason for her dismissal of him, he wished his mother his thanks and hung up the phone. Leaning back in his office chair he heard the _ding_ of a received email. It was from her.

 

_Oliver,_

_You got your mom to call me?_

_I thought the fact I wasn't replying to you would have been a good enough hint. Clearly not so I'll try to be more direct._

_I don't want to see you any more, I don't want you to contact me any more and I most definitely don't want you to get your mother to call me again. Was that clear enough?_

_It was a fling, we spent a couple of months together, but I have other things to do with my life now._

_Bye,_

_Felicity._

 

He read it at least 10 times and his heart broke a little bit more with each. If he had been as tech literate as Felicity it wouldn't have taken him long to notice the email had not originated from MIT campus and that unless she had moved to Starling City in the last month – that email didn't come from her. But he wasn't – so he didn't.

* * *

 

Felicity sat alone in the bare cell, she had been segregated from the others locked up there, both due to her age and the fact she was about – she guessed – 2 months pregnant. _Pregnant._

She had managed to call her mom who was on a flight from Vegas to collect Felicity's things from her dorm room – it went without saying that as they found drugs in her room, she was expelled without any right of appeal – pending any criminal findings, but it didn't look good.

Apparently the bag had her fingerprints on it, it matched other empty bags found in her room – which Felicity used to take bags of nuts to class in.

She had spoken to an appointed lawyer who suggested that she should plead no contest. It was a quantity of drugs that would see her serve under house arrest – it was her first offence so that played in her favour.

Her eyes were sore and red, she had been crying alone in the room for what seemed like hours. They had offered her a pen and paper and despite not knowing where to send it, she began to write:

 

_“Oliver,_

_I don't know how to explain what is going on, I'm so confused. I promise we'll talk about it when we can._

_I'm scared and I need you to come please._

_Oliver I'm pregnant._

She folded the note up and cried.

 


	8. Changed

**May 2009**

 

Oliver was jet-lagged and exhausted, the trip had taken him 14 hours, not including a 3 hour layover, but he wasn’t going to let this thing go, not without a reason from her. His sadness had morphed into anger about 7 hours ago, then flipped to confusion about 5 hours after that, and now as he pulled into a car park at MIT he was simply feeling an overpowering sense of confusion.

He didn't have his usual calm about him and he had no idea what he was going to say as he slipped in through the front door of the dormitory. He'd only been there a handful of times, but he managed to find his way to Room 228.

He knocked on the door, louder and faster than he was intending to. The door opened to a stranger, a short, slightly dumpy redhead chewing gum look up at him and muttered “yeah?”

 

“I'm looking for Felicity, this was her room”

“Okay frat boy, _was_ is the operative word here, this is _now_ my room”

She went to close the door, but without realising it he had placed his foot in the way.

“Look, do you know where she is?”

The redhead sighed “I'm sorry man, a single room became available, I took it, I don't know where your girl is, but I can surmise that people don't leave sweet single rooms without a pretty good reasons and normally they leave forwarding addresses with their nearest and dearest”

 

He removed his foot from the doorway and she closed it abruptly. He leaned against the wall, the back of his head tapping back and forth against it.

She didn't want him to find her, he imagined she'd probably graduated early – she was _that_ smart after all – maybe she had been offered the perfect job and she didn't want a relationship holding her back.

Maybe it was just as she had said – only a fling – and he had invested himself too much into it. For once in Oliver's life he understood what it felt like to have a broken heart.

* * *

 

“Ma'am, this letter has come for Mr Oliver” Raisa spoke softly as she delivered the letter to Moira who was shut away in her office.

Moira sighed as she opened it, read it, crumpled it up and threw it in the bin beneath her desk.

 

“Thank you Raisa, you can go” she gestured towards the door as she picked up the phone and dialled.

Raisa could hear only the muffled tones of the conversation, she knew it was not her place to listen. Mrs Queen was a proud and strong woman, but when it came to unconditional love for her children Raisa wasn't so sure she had it in her.

“Make it happen soon, I want this finished with” were the last words Raisa heard Moira say before she heard the phone slam back down into the cradle.

* * *

 

It had been 5 days in this place and Felicity had heard nothing from Oliver, she hoped he would have received the letter by now, although if he was in Tokyo – his reasons for being there, still confusing to her – maybe he hadn't received it.

 

At least, if but a small – tiny even – silver lining, she had stopped throwing up.

“You have a visitor” the warden spoke without emotion as the door _clinked_ unlocked and was pulled open with a sound that echoed through the empty halls.

* * *

 

Felicity was now sitting opposite a man in a suit that looked like it was worth more than her car, who had just proposed a way of her getting out of this place – but it came with a catch.

 

“So, I plead no contest, I spend 6 months on monitored house arrest and then I'm done”

“Yes, and the Queen family will front the money for the bond, provided you and your child remain away from them. He has also offered a large sum of money which can be deposited into your account once you sign the paperwork”

“The paperwork?” her eyebrows raised

“Just a simple no contact agreement and that you wont go after the family for any recompense. Believe me, it will be well worth your time”

“I'm not signing that” she retorted, her hands crossed over her chest as she leant back in her chair.

 

“Ms Smoak, without this offer your highly overworked and underpaid public defender will most certainly garner you jail time and I take it you don't want to give birth to your child in here” he pushed his glasses further up his nose and laid his hands, palms down, on the table “this is in the interest of all parties”

When she had asked for Oliver's help, she had been expecting something very much different to what she was looking at right now.

“Does Oliver know?” she asked softly, her shoulders slumping at what she thought would be the suit's answer.

“My instructions come from the Queen family, however this” he drew a sealed envelope from him pocket “has come from Oliver himself”.

He placed in on the table where Felicity's fingers touched against it, too afraid to take it into her hands.

“I suggest you read it, I will be back for your answer first thing tomorrow” he finished as he collected his papers off the desk, placed them back into his leather briefcase and left the room.

Felicity snapped up the letter before she was led back to her cell.

* * *

 

Moira closed the door to her office behind her as she summoned the driver it was time to go. The front door opened and she walked out without a goodbye to anyone who might still be inside the house.

Raisa looked up from her dusting and made a choice she had not done before, she went in Moira's office, removed the crumpled letter and without reading it, she folded it up, took it upstairs and placed it at the bottom of a blanket box in her room – just in case, she thought, that Oliver asked her for it.

* * *

 

Once she was alone Felicity took a deep breath in, her heart was pounding through her chest, terrified of what she was going to read.

 

_Felicity,_

_I'm sorry I couldn't be there in person, but I'm taking up a position overseas and I have some matters to finalise at home._

_I received your letter but I can't be a part of this. I have no desire to be a father and I would understand if you wanted to terminate it. I did genuinely care for you, but we both know that this was not a long term thing. You and I come from different places and we're going different places._

_You should take the deal offered and move on with your life._

 

_Regards,_

_Oliver_

 

She realised she had been wrong about the silver lining as the nausea returned and she threw up the pain that was coursing through her, the crumpled letter crushed in her hand.

If she would have had another letter from Oliver written by his own hand to compare to this letter to she would have realised that there was a small idiosyncrasy between them because Oliver didn't write the letter she was holding – but she didn't, so she couldn't.

 

* * *

**October 2009**

 

Felicity's feet were throbbing in the heat of Vegas, she was feeling tired, sore and caged in.

She had taken the deal the lawyer had offered and – to his word – she had received monitored house arrest – discounted to 5 months (it was due to come off tomorrow). She had told them to donate the money offered to a children's charity as she wanted nothing from that family.

She had thought about Oliver's letter and had contemplated – more deeply than she cared to admit – about terminating the pregnancy, but in her heart she knew that was a choice she couldn't reconcile with.

 

She had been wrong about him – and now at 7 months pregnant she was finally, _finally_ , coming to terms with that mistake she made in trusting him.

She looked different now, her hair was shorter, cut to her shoulders and sporting the natural wave which she would once have cursed at as she straightened it. She had gone back to blond in an attempt to allow her natural hair colour to return. She started going by the name Megan James to anyone she didn't know – her reasoning for which was, she knew, to keep anyone who could hurt her again at a distance. She had thrown her phone in a dumpster when it was handed back to her after leaving jail – she didn't want the reminder. The Felicity Smoak, supposed-to-be graduate of MIT class 2009 was virtually just a blimp in time.

 

She had written him more letters, letters filled with her angry, filled with her loathing and filled with her deep, aching sorrow. But every time she wrote one, she would ball in up tightly in her hands and throw it away.

How wrong she had been about him.

* * *

 

Life for Oliver had moved on, he had dropped out of his fourth college and settled himself with the resulting knowledge that it wasn't for him. His father had given him an office across the hall from his own. Laurel had forgiven him for what ever indiscretions he had allowed to happen while they were on a break, and he would be reigning in the new year in an apartment he had purchased in the city.

Thea wasn't talking to him, she hadn't been since April or May. She blamed him for her big sister-friend's suddenly departure from their lives. At 15 she was still a kid, she didn't understand how things happened sometimes. But in this case Oliver couldn't explain it to her – because, in all honesty he didn't understand it either.

* * *

 

**December 15 th 2009**

 

There was blood everywhere, matted into her long blond hair and down the side of her lifeless face, spattered on the walls and pooling on the floor.

Felicity's bare feet were wet from the pool of blood they had been laying in as she lay motionless, curled into the fetal position, clutching her stomach.

As she regained consciousness she felt the surge of pain rippling through her. She looked up to the bench and reached her hand up.

 

_If she could just reach it_.

Her fingertip caught the corner of the phone's handset and it fell to the tiled floor next to her.

“Its okay mom” she whispered, barely a breath left in her “I'll get us some help”

She managed to push 911 before she passed out again.

 

 


	9. Forget

**December 16 th 2009**

 

Felicity didn't know where she was. Her head hurt, her eyes were dry and she was staring at an unfamiliar white ceiling. Instinctively she went to roll her hands over the prominent bump she had been sporting.

A wave of panic flooded over her as she realised her stomach was flat – not flat like she'd done a million crunches – but flat like a deflated beach ball.

She went to sit up but the pain was instant, she went to speak but it was as though she had a million cotton balls stuck in her mouth.

Her eyes darted around the room trying to make sense of where she was and what she was feeling – and most importantly, what she wasn't feeling.

 

 _A hospital, I'm in a hospital_ she realised, her brain finally kicking in. She found the buzzer next to the bed and pushed it probably more times than she needed to.

An older nurse appeared in the doorway and gently encouraged her to lay back down and breathe. She offered her water which made the imagined cotton balls from her mouth disappear.

“You're okay dear, you're safe” she spoke softly and calmly as she straightened the bed linen.

 _Safe?_ She was struggling to focus.

_The blood, my baby_

“My baby?” she breathed, her eyes struggling to stay open.

“Hun, she's fine okay, the doctors delivered her, she's just perfect. They just need to keep an eye on her a little longer alright, but as soon as you're ready and she's ready I'll bring her in” she smiled wiping a damp cloth across her forehead and checking a bandage on her shoulder.

_Why did she have a bandage on her shoulder?_

_Mom?_

“My mom, is she okay?” Felicity couldn't think with the raging pain engulfing her _why_ she was worried about her – she just had a sense that she should be.

 

“We need to talk to the patient” a burley man in a tan jacket announced as he walked in the room.

“You fellas are just going to have to come back later, she needs to rest”

The skinnier one huffed and went to say something further, but the nursed shushed him and ordered him out of the room with simply a flick of her wrist.

“Don't you worry about that, you rest, they'll wait” she smiled as Felicity's eyes drew closed.

* * *

 

The next time Felicity woke it was less like a horrible dream and more like an even worse reality. She remembered _everything_. She had buzzed the nurse again and told her to send the men back in – the ones she rightly assumed were detectives.

She had told them all she could remember – she had arrived home from a doctor's appointment to her mother and her mother's newest boyfriend fighting, they had been doing that for weeks. Felicity shut herself in her room and continued packing. She had found a small unit to rent (she was sure the older lady owner had taken pity on her and offered her the place for much less than she could have gotten offering it to someone else).

She had heard a struggle from the lounge and then a scream and then when she was on her way to see what the noises were she heard a gunshot. Without thinking she ran into the kitchen and found her mother on the floor, blood pouring from a gaping head wound.

Then she heard another shot, her body twisted with the pain ricocheting across her shoulder, she fell forward and hit her head but before she passed out the first time she saw her mother's boyfriend standing over her with a gun in his hand.

She couldn't recall much else.

Now it was their turn to answer.

_I was shot?_

In the left shoulder, a through and through.

_Where is my mother?_

I'm sorry, she didn't make it.

Felicity blinked at answer, they had tried to offer their condolences, but it meant nothing to her. Deep down she had already known the answer when she had asked the question, after all she had _seen_ her.

_Could she see her baby now?_

Yes.

The nurse wheeled the plastic bassinet into the room and placed the tiny sleeping baby into Felicity's arms. She was beautiful – galaxies away from the way she entered into the world.

She was beautiful and she was all hers _and his_.

_Amelie Donna Smoak_

* * *

**January 2010**

 

Felicity smiled softly as she looked down at the tiny hand grasping her finger. She had left Vegas as soon as she could – there was nothing there for her now. She had driven with everything she owned piled into her mother's old black Honda. She had spent every penny she had getting here and sitting in the dark car in the pouring rain by the driveway of the house that held immeasurable pain for her, she couldn't help but contemplate whether she was in her full state of mind. _Probably not._

 

She didn't _know_ why she was there, but she was 21, she was alone, she was terrified and _he_ should know his daughter.

It wasn't hard to override the gate security with only her laptop and a cell phone – it was nice to know she could still do something well.

She parked back from the entrance to give her a moment where she could still change her mind – instead she carefully lifted Amelie from the car seat and wrapped her tightly in a woollen blanket so gently that the newborn remained asleep.

She stepped out from the car and unfolded the umbrella, pulling a tiny hat over Amelie's head she took a deep breath of the cold night air. _Now or never_.

 

She walked up the front steps

 _You could still run_ were the words that played over in her head.

 _Breathe_ she coached herself

Her hand reached out but hovered above the door.

She closed her eyes, kissed Amelie's head, took a deep breath and knocked.

 

Moira was walking past when she heard the faint knock on the front door. She pursed her lips at the inconvenience of the visitor as she looked through the peep hole.

She saw an unfamiliar petite blond holding something and she assumed it was one of Thea's friends until the young girl looked up and revealed not only her face, but the truth of what she was holding.

Moira genuinely felt a wave of panic cross over her as her eyes drew back towards the stairs.

She opened the door and feigning a smile she said simply “Can I help you?”

 

Felicity met the eyes of the woman with whom she had spent spring break with almost a year ago and was now standing before her, tightly holding her granddaughter.

“Mrs Queen, my name's Feli-”

“I know who you are dear” her eyes looked behind her “It's freezing out there, come inside”

Felicity took a hesitant step forward and watched as the door closed behind her.

“Down this way” Moira gestured down the hall.

She gently rocked Amelie as she dubiously followed Moira's instructions.

 

They entered a reading room of sorts, Felicity took a seat on a brown chesterfield couch, she wanted to speak but she could find no words.

“If you wouldn't mind waiting here dear, I should fetch Robert” she calmly remarked.

She stepped out from the room, closed the door and locked it behind her, her smile disappearing from her face the instant the locked _clicked_.

* * *

 

Felicity looked around the tastefully decorated room, she didn't know if she had been in this one during her time here, there were so many rooms and to be honest she spent most of his time in her own, or Oliver's.

Being in the house brought back a flood of emotion, this is where they had been _so_ good, this is where he had touched her _like that_ the first time and as she looked at Amelie, who's tiny lips were suckling at Felicity's collarbone, she made the realisation that this was also where they had made her.

* * *

 

“Robert will join us shortly” Moira disclosed as she entered the room, closing the door behind her “so Felicity is there a reason for your unannounced visit?”

“I would just like to see Oliver please” Felicity replied, feeling somewhat like she was sitting in the dean's office at middle school.

“I'm afraid my son isn't here, he's in France with his fiancé, I don't expect them back for a few weeks”

_Fiancé? Had she heard that right?_

“I just” _breathe_ “I wanted to introduce him to his daughter, your granddaughter”

Moira took a seat beside Felicity, her hands folded onto her lap.

“Oliver told me, he also told me he had told you he didn't want to be involved. I'm sorry that you came here looking for something from him that he's unable to give you.”

“I don't want anything from him, but he should meet her”

“To what end dear? Isn't it better that your daughter grow up with whatever story you chose to tell her, than her feeling abandoned by him. My son is many things and I love him greatly, but it's best you make peace with the knowledge that he won't be a father to your daughter.”

 

Felicity could feel the rage and devastation building up inside her, two forces of emotions culminating in the realisation that she _really_ shouldn't have come here.

Robert entered the room a slightly pained expression drawn across his face. His eyes flickered down to the baby in Felicity's arms but he said not a word as he handed her a small piece of paper.

“You should go, take care of your child and be with people who want to love her and you, I'm sorry that you won't find what you're looking for here” Moira passively spoke as her lips formed a terse smile.

Felicity opened the folded paper, it was a cheque for $1,000,000, she shook he head and stood up, finally not willing to cower in front of them.

“I told your lawyer the first time you tried to give me money that I didn't want it. I came here to give him, and you, a chance. I was wrong, neither of you deserve that. I won't make that mistake again. Thank you for your time. If you could just give this to your son, that's all I ask” she requested as she placed an envelope and the check down on the side table.

“I'm sure I can see myself out” she finished, her head held high but her emotions threatening to release a barrage of tears at any moment.

She left without another word, bundled Amelie into the car, drove down the driveway and onto the road where she pulled over and wept bitterly into her hands.

* * *

 

“Was someone here?” Oliver asked appearing at the top of the stairs as the door closed.

Both Robert and Moira looked up, startled, reminiscent of an animal caught in the headlights of a car.

“Just a business associate dear, nothing but a bore” Moira smiled, her demeanour solid as a rock as she held the envelope tight against her back.

“I'm almost finished packing and then I'll head out to my new place” he smiled, walking back towards his room.

 

Once he was gone, Moira gave the still-sealed envelope to Raisa “See that this is burned” she instructed coldly.

Raisa nodded as she took the note from Moira's hand. Minutes later that letter was placed gently next to the one she had rescued months ago.

* * *

 

Felicity drove the unfamiliar streets, her entire body shaking with the emotions that were pulsing through her. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, she wanted to break something and she wanted to run away. But she couldn't do any of that – she had no more tears left and she had no money to leave.

It was at this point in her life as the window wipers worked across the windscreen that she made a promise to a sleeping baby a promise that Oliver Queen would _never_ be a part of their lives and she would protect her from that venomous world that had broken her once strong mother.

It was that cold, rainy night when she was taken in by a family who had continued to support her and given Amelie all Felicity had ever wanted for her – unconditional love.

For two years as Amelie grew into a beautiful toddler, Felicity resided in the shadows of places he would never venture and they never crossed paths.

After that moment she never let her mind linger on Oliver Queen, she cut him from her heart and buried the memory of their shared entanglement … that was until his face was cast back into their world and onto her TV screen.

The date was **10 November 2013.**

 

 

 


	10. Lost

**12:30am: 9 November 2013**

 

Oliver wished Thea a good night as he closed the door to her room and padded down the hall of the Queen's Gambit. The two of them had decided join their father on a last minute trip to China. Oliver's reasons consisted of Laurel – she was mad at him  _again_. He had cheated on her  _again_ , so he would give her a few weeks to break stuff and sleep with a co-worker then he'd return and she'd forgive him  _again_ because that was  _just what they did_.

He had always known it but as the years moved on and the arguments become resoundingly more bitter it became even more transparent that he was turning into his father – a belligerent narcissist who had forgotten _how_ to love.

Thea's motives were simpler – she just couldn't stand to be left alone in the house with Moira. She was almost 19 now and she was growing more distant from her family. Oliver had tried, but he was hardly the sage of good advice. He wasn't keeping his own life under control, how could he imagine directing Thea about hers?

 

The boat jolted sharply to the right before Oliver reached his cabin, sending him tumbling back against the bulkhead. He was dazed as he tried to stand. Someone had sounded the alarm to head to the top deck – in all his years of sailing he had never heard that alarm, it meant it was time to abandon ship.

He looked towards the ladder on the bulkhead to his right, then back down towards Thea's cabin and he made a choice. He ran backwards towards Thea’s cabin door and began pummelling on it.

“Thea, we have to go” he called out hurriedly.

“Ollie the door is stuck” he heard the panic in her voice.

 

As the boat rocked violently he reached for the fire axe “stand back” he yelled focusing every ounce of strength he hard into the blow he struck against the door.

The wood splintered enough to loosen it the cabin door. Thea grabbed his hand, the alarm deafening her words to him. He gestured towards the ladder about 10 feet away. The boat had tipped to the point that it was like they were climbing a cliff face.

 

Oliver felt the hull beneath them rise – that meant it was only going to do one other thing next. He grabbed Thea by the waist and hooked his arm around the grab rail.

“Hold on” he instructed, grabbing her hand and placing it on the same rail “Hold” he repeated and she nodded her understanding.

The hull came down again _hard_ , splintering it like a match stick – it was quicker than Oliver had imagined and despite his strength the torrent of water ripped his and Thea's arms from the railing.

 

Freezing, pitch black water engulfed them. He had his arms around something that he prayed was Thea. The water was like needles against his skin, the darkness so all encompassing, he wasn't sure what way was up and what way was down – until he saw a portion of the hull sink passed him. Holding on to the still object in his arms he pushed himself in the opposite direction of the sinking hull.

After what seemed like a struggle for hours he broke the surface, he pulled up his arms, praying it was Thea in them. As his arms broke through the surface of the water his heart skipped. It was her, she had been knocked in the head, but she was breathing.

He looked around the ocean for signs of the lifeboat, but nothing. He didn't know how far they had been pulled or in what direction, there were only pieces of floating debris as a reminder of what had happened. He found a piece large enough to hold Thea, she had started to drift in and out of consciousness, she was weak and barely responsive. With a strength he didn't know he possessed, he lifted her from the water onto what seemed to be part of a bulkhead.

He felt his own body slipping deeper into the cold ocean, but he stayed afloat next to it for as long as he could until the exhaustion and the cold got the better of him – and then nothing – cold, dark, silent nothingness.

 

* * *

 

**10 November 2013**

 

Felicity forgot how to blink as she stared at the faces plastered across the television screen, she didn't even realise she had dropped the plate she was holding.

Amelie – all of 2 and a half looked up at her mother with confusion in her eyes as Rosa appeared from the kitchen drawn in by the sound of the plate hitting the floor.

She looked at Felicity's face – which had turned a ghost white – and then at the television news story and it all made sense.

The Queen’s Gambit had sent out a distress signal in the early hours of yesterday, a life boat had been picked up by a trawler that had responded to the signal.  Mr Queen and two crew members had been on the life boat and were currently being treated at a nearby port. 

However – the news story reported – both Oliver Queen and Thea Queen had not yet been found.  Two nearby fishing tankers had begun a search around the remote islands that were dotted through the area where the boat had sunk but there had been no reports on whether the two had been found.

The story was the lead story with images of a smiling Thea and a smirking Oliver predominantly on the corner of the screen.  There was news footage of Moira leaving Queen Consolidated with Laurel Lance by her side, both distraught, both answering _no comment_.

Felicity looked down at the youngster who was standing barefoot in front of her with her eyes wide and focused on Felicity, her head cocked to the side in wonder.  Then her eyes moved up to the photo of Oliver and every feeling she had spent the last 2+ years pushing down came flooding to the surface. 

There was nothing she could do to stop the tears – so she didn’t try.

* * *

 

Felicity locked the bathroom door as she pushed the tears away from her eyes with the back of her hand.  She had worked so hard to repress the feelings she had for Oliver, but it pained her every time Amelie would smile – it was a smile that wasn’t hers – it’s was Oliver’s smile on the face of the most precious thing in her life, acting as a constant reminder of the worst feeling she had ever being subjected to.

She caught her reflection in the mirror.  On the surface she was different now to the girl that had fallen hard and fast for Oliver Queen.  It had been brief, but it had left a lasting memory.  Inside she was still the girl that would blush at his touch and she swore sometimes in the dead of the night she felt herself back in his bedroom – all those years ago – and she could _smell_ him.

While she hated how she had been cast aside by him – and his family – she still wept for him.  She wept for him as Amelie’s father and as – she was ashamed to admit – the greatest love of her life.

“Oliver” she whispered, lest anyone heard her speak his name “get up.  Wherever you are Oliver, get up, you need to get up Oliver”

* * *

 

_Oliver_

_Oliver, get up_

He heard the words like his head was underwater – distant, echoing.

He tried to open his eyes but the sun’s intensity forced them closed again.  His mouth was dry – salty and dry.  His body was heavy.

_Oliver, get up._

He saw, through squinted eyes someone’s feet.

The voice was closer now.

He felt a hand touch his back – as softly as a breeze of warm air.

_Oliver, you need to get up._

The feet were moving away from him now.

“Wait” he breathed – unsure if the words even left his parched lips

_Oliver_

His hands moved under his chest and he pushed himself over onto his back.  His head twisted to where the feet had been moments ago but there was nothing there.

_Oliver, get up._

The voice was soft but strong and it had moved to the other side of him now.

His head followed the voice.

 

A figure in the distance – she was waving at him.

Her hair was dark.

She was wearing jeans.

_Why was she wearing jeans? It was so hot._

He reached out to her.

She turned from him, her hair bouncing in a gust of wind.

“Wait” he heard himself speak that time.

She moved away from him _Oliver, follow me_ – her voice was a whisper in his ear, but she was so far away.  _How could he hear her?_

 

He managed to claw his way to his knees.  He looked for her again along the foreshore, but she was gone.

_Oliver, get up_

She was behind him now, back towards some trees.

He saw her figure leaning up against a tall tree.  She was beckoning him with her hands again.  He couldn’t see her face, but he knew her.

_Oliver_

He stood, his bare feet sinking into the soft white sand.

His clothes were stiff – washed in salt water then baked in the sun.

He stumbled towards her his legs were heavy as though he was dragging a weight behind him.

 

Finally, he was close to her.

She was 5 feet in front of him, her back turned to him.  Her dark hair was waving to him in the wind.  Her hands were in the pockets of her jeans, a grey tank top hung lose over her small frame.

He reached his hand out to touch her.

She began to turn her head – reacting to his touch.

_Oliver_

She was gone.

* * *

  

His senses finally started to come back to him.  Slowly he recreated the accident in his head.  He now realised the girl he had seen, while she had led him to the cool shade of the trees and a fresh pocket of water, had been a figment of his imagination.

He felt he knew her, but despite searching his memory he could not place her.

He had spent time roaming along the beach where he had woken up.  He had remembered Thea was with him.  She had to be here somewhere.  He remembered Thea.  She was only 5 so he had to find his baby sister.

He sat against a tree, sheltering under it from the swell of the heat from the high sun.  Why had mom let Thea ride her horse alone? She should have had someone else there then she wouldn’t have gotten lost.

It took another 2 hours before he realised he was on an island nowhere near where he lived – although, he couldn’t remember _where_ that was.

It took another hour after that to remember Thea wasn’t a 5 year old child anymore.

* * *

 

**12 November 2013**

The news was still running the lead story it had two days previously.  There had been no sightings of the Queen siblings.  The news – in typical fashion – likely had the obituary reels ready and waiting. 

Felicity was working at Tech Village, people loitered around the TV set the manager had put on showing the news.  Felicity was trying not to look as it might seem a little strange to those that she worked with that she was _that_ upset about missing rich kids.

Her heart was weighed down thinking about Thea.  Maybe she should have done more to see her? Maybe she should have shown up at her school? Thea wasn’t to blame in Oliver’s decision to turn away from his child, maybe Felicity should have told Thea.  But, she knew – given the opportunity of a redo, she still would not have involved Thea, a girl that age should never have to choose between her family and a friend. 

The news broke after lunchtime.  They had found Oliver Queen.  He was dehydrated, barely responsive and had suffered multiple injuries, but he was alive and was on his way to the port where his family were waiting.  No reports on Thea Queen – was where the story finished.

* * *

  

**16 November 2013**

Oliver had regained his cognitive powers now.  He understood what had happened, he had been told of his injuries – he sustained fractures to his clavicle and wrist and 3 broken ribs, he was dehydrated and was suffering from extreme sun exposure.  He had also suffered a head injury which caused him to slip in and out of consciousness frequently over the journey back to land.

He had remembered his mother and his father when they had come to his hospital bed.  He could remember his name, but he had to be told his birthday and what year it was.  He remembered he knew how to speak French, but he couldn’t remember his address.

They had told him he was suffering from retrograde amnesia, the form where he couldn’t remember things from before the accident.  It was as though he was sitting on a secluded beach trying to remember things about himself.

He may have only spent a few days on the literal island alone – but as his mother spoke about people in his life and he didn’t know them – he felt like he was still on an island trying to find the dark haired girl in the trees who was telling him to get up.

 

 

 


	11. Found

**20 November 2013**

“Starling City” Oliver repeated to the empty hospital room.  
The name felt foreign to him and he wanted to call it Star City, it was Moira who had told him he was getting it wrong. Still it didn’t feel right.

He had gained a lot of his memory back once he was back in Starling City, things began to feel familiar again. The doctors warned him that things may come and go. Memories may be triggered rather than just recalled. That was the reason Moira had brought in a large photo album of people, places and things he ought to know.

“ _Lauren”_ he had called Laurel when she came to visit.  
She wasn’t happy about that.  
He remembered her and he remembered _feelings_ about her. It was hard to quantify, but as she recounted his many past failures he couldn’t help but wonder why she was still around? – He didn’t remember most of it, but if it was as she said it was – he was a bit of a dink.

The girl he imagined on the island had never eventuated. He didn’t ask about her, fearing they may worry about his sanity. He never saw her face but there was something he couldn’t explain about her – something familiar enough that he could almost feel the sensation of her skin on his fingertips. But he had no name, no face – no real memory of her, just a _feeling_.

* * *

 

Felicity stood at a distance from the room. She could see him lying in the bed talking to himself. There was a personal security guard outside the door, which to her seemed a little overkill, but it meant she couldn’t get it.

 _Maybe that was a good thing?_  
She had questioned her sanity being there. She didn’t know what she hoped to achieve. Would a near death experience be enough for him to make good for the wrong he’d done in the past? Would she even accept it if he tried?

She didn’t have any answers, just questions.

She took a confident breath, gave herself a silent pep talk, undid an extra button on the BB uniform she was wearing and strutted up to the guard sitting outside the room.

“Hey” she grinned, shooting him a flirty wink  
Sure to her assumption she had his attention.  
“The vending machine down the hall took my money, but didn’t give me my drink” she pouted touching her fingertip to the corner of her lip “and I’m so thirsty” she sighed, dropping her finger from her lip to the collar of her opened shirt.  
He looked like he was going to start drooling.  
“A big strong man like you would be able to get it out” she leant in grabbing his bicep and over-playing her admiration of it.  
“Sure” he grinned standing up  
“Down there” she smiled sweetly pointing down the furthest hallway.  
He walked off like a dog eager to please its owner.  
_Boobs_ Felicity laughed _they could make men do anything_

She opened the door and stepped in backwards, closing the door in front of her.  
“Can I help you?” Oliver questioned as he looked at the girl in his room with her face resting against the door.

 _Turn around_ she coached herself _turn around Felicity._  
She breathed deeply as she took three tentative steps to turn around. She looked up and for the first time in over 4 years she was face to face with him.

He stared at the pretty blond in the glasses – was he supposed to know her?

Felicity went to speak but then she saw the complete lack of recognition in his eyes. He had no idea who she was. _It was only 3 months, why would he remember you?_ her inner voice reprimanded.

“Do I know you?” he questioned, the silence in the room playing to the awkwardness of the encounter.  
“Nope, wrong room” she bumbled, stepping backwards and crashing against the door, twisting the plastic blinds over it. It took her a good 30 seconds of fumbling to finally open the door and dart out it.

She ran from the room narrowly avoiding crashing head first into the guard who was now holding a recently acquired soda.  
He offered it to her with that gleeful grin still effervescent across his face.  
“Just remembered I’m diabetic, sorry” she retorted ducking down the stairwell entrance and running as fast as she could out of the building regaling the stupidity of her actions and the complete look of _WTF_ on Oliver’s face. He definitely did not think about her any more.

However if she had stood by the nurses’ desk before leaving she would have heard them discussing Oliver Queen’s memory loss and how it took him three visits before he could remember his girlfriend’s name – but she didn’t hear any of that – all she heard was the sound of her hurried footsteps down the pavement and once again out of his life.

* * *

  
Oliver woke up from a dream with a name. A name unconnected with any other memories and there was nothing in the photo album or notes by his bed, but when he wrote the name it was like he had written it before, the dots over the “i”s and the loop of the “y” were so familiar to him.

Moira and Laurel sauntered in the room as Oliver sat up to greet them, he was hoping to be released soon so he could return home. The ribs would heal, as would his collar bone and the wrist they had put in plaster, and eventually he would remember how he preferred his eggs.

“You okay honey?” Laurel smiled, planting a kiss on his forehead.  
“Uh-huh” he nodded and then turned to Moira “Do I know anyone with this name?” he questioned handing her the scrap of paper he had written on.  
Moira looked down ‘ _Felicity_ ’ the paper simply read  
Moira’s dead pan expression didn’t reveal the anger she felt boiling inside. This young girl should have being just a blimp on Oliver’s radar 4 years ago. She shouldn’t have had to do what she had done, this girl should have been long gone from his mind. _Felicity_ should mean nothing to him.

She breathed calmly, drawing in a collected breath before she replied “I’ve never met anyone with that name Oliver, you?” her attention turned to Laurel who looked down at the paper.

“No, neither have I, and neither have you Ollie, I’m sure I would remember that name” she smiled with cold eyes  
“Probably just a nurse’s name you overheard dear” Moria spoke, throwing the scrap of paper in the trash.

* * *

  
It was after that when Moira searched through Oliver’s room, lest there be a vestige left of Felicity Smoak in there. She burned two photos she had found in a bottom drawer together with a handwritten note that read _“I ❤ U. FS”_ in a girl’s penmanship that Oliver had kept for far too long.

She was sure she had found and removed all trace of her and perhaps if she wasn’t so self involved she may have thought more clearly about things, she may have looked further afar than Oliver’s room to cleanse this thorn in her side, she may have noticed the photo in the silver plated frame sitting atop the white painted desk by the window in Thea’s room – but she never saw it and there it sat untouched for another year.

* * *

 

  
**Present Day: November 2014**

It felt to Oliver like he had been holding the photo for hours, his eyes searching her eyes silently begging her to give up her secrets.

 _Megan?_ No, that wasn't right. His brain was fighting against that name – struggling to search deep into memories once thought lost and then it came flooding back like flicking on a light switch in a dark room.

The way she bit her lip, the way the small of her back felt in his hands, the poster she always touched three times before she left her room, the way she chewed her pens, the way she smiled when he said something stupid, the way she took a chance on him – and then, painfully, the way she left him without an explanation.

“Felicity”

Finally, the figure on the beach that told him to get up had a face and its was hers.

He took the photo from the frame and holding it like it was worth a fortune he sprinted from the house.

* * *

  
“Felicity” a voice whispered from behind her as she arranged modems on the display shelf

“John!” she exclaimed spinning around to meet a voice and a face she could never forget.

She wrapped her arms around him with such exuberance that, had he been a normal sized guy, he likely would have fallen backwards.

“When did you get back?” she excitedly questioned, calculating it must have been close to 2 years since he was last at home.

“This morning, must have missed you by 10 minutes” he smiled, his arms lingering over her shoulder like the protective older brother that he had taken the role of 5 years ago.

“You're dressed all fancy” she commented, straightening the blue tie he was sporting.

“Job interview of sorts, Andy got me a gig, I'm supposed to meet the client in about” his eyes looked down to his wrist watch “30 minutes. Just wanted to stop in and see you” he smiled kindly

“I get off at 4, I'll see you at home?”

“You know it, Mama's cooking chilli” he grinned patting his stomach

They embraced a second time and she waved as he left the store.

* * *

  
  


Oliver yanked the door virtually out of breath from the 10 block sprint he'd just done after getting frustrated with the traffic to the point he pulled his car into a loading bay and sprinted the rest of the way. He was astutely aware his car was likely being towed as he stood there.

And he stood there, scouring the counter and every table – she wasn't there.

He found the nearest waitress and lay his hand on her arm “I'm looking for Megan, or Felicity, I'm not sure what name she uses” he panted looking down at her name badge “Beth, please, can you tell me where she is?”

“She's not at _this_ work today hun” Beth replied studying the distress on the young man's face

“This work? She works somewhere else?” he was beginning to breathe normally now

“You didn't hear it from me” she nodded towards a _Tech Village_ poster on the window next to them.

“There?”

She nodded and gave him a quick wink as he left Big Belly as quickly as he had entered it.

Tech Village was almost a mile away he could have walked, but with the photo pegged between his fingers he ran.

* * *

  
He managed the distance in 5 minutes – a time an athlete would have been proud of.

He stopped outside the large shop window. She was there standing at the cash register and he was here standing outside, staring, wondering what he could possibly say to her.

There was no hesitation in him though as he opened the door and made a beeline for her.

“Felicity?” were the words that fell from his mouth when it opened.

She turned and took a step back in surprise.

“I'm sorry, I don't know you” she babbled, and pointing to her badge “the name is Megan and I'm with customers” she turned back to the customer, her heart lodged in her throat.

“Your name is Felicity” he said again depositing the slightly crinkled photo on the counter “and I will happily pay for the purchase of everyone in line if they let me cut in”

  
  


 


	12. Know

They were sitting opposite each other on a small table that wobbled to the left in a coffee shop across the road from the Tech Village – in complete silence.

“You look different to what I remember” he commented – it was small talk at best and he knew it.  
“Hair dye” she replied, talking down to the table before looking up at him.  
She had spent many nights years ago going over in her mind as she rocked a crying baby to sleep what it was that she would say to him if she was given the chance to be sitting like she was now, but at the juncture where she needed those words the most – none of them forthcoming.

“I'm sorry, I don't know how to make sense of this, I'm just trying to figure out why you had to pretend you didn't know me. We had a past, but it was a good past right? I wish you had spoken to me about why you were leaving, but…”

She held her hand up to stop him talking she was confused by virtually _everything_ he had just said.  
“Did you get my letters?”  
It was his turn to be confused.

“I never got any letters from you” granted, he could have and maybe he just didn't remember, but _everything_ else about her came back – he even remembered the email she had sent him, which _was_ something he would have rather forgot. No he was sure _if_ he had received letters from her that he would remember that. “I only got the email saying you didn't want to see me again” he added sheepishly recoiling at remembering the harshness of that email.

 _Email?_ She was in jail, she never sent an email.

There – at that very moment – the penny dropped and the twisted web of lies fell apart leaving Felicity to come to one sobering realisation – _he didn't know._

But if _he_ didn't know, then how did Moria? And who wrote the letter the lawyer had given her? If _he_ didn't know, then he didn't know about her arrest, he didn't know she had been expelled, he didn't know about the second letter she had written him pouring out her heart, he didn’t know about his daughter – but if he didn't know and Moira did, then -  
_Oh no._  
She stood bolt upright.  
“I have to go”  
And before he could move to follow her she had disappeared down an alleyway and by the time he got there, mere seconds after her, she was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

 

  
Felicity closed the apartment door behind her, her heart was pounding through her chest both from the sprint home she had just done and the terrifying reality that one woman could have wreaked so much havoc on her life – and to what end? So she wouldn't date her son?

She felt the tears breaking through as her hands began to shake against her face.

She made a split second decision – she had to leave. If this woman was willing to cause so much devastation in her wake over something so trivial, she shuddered to think what she could do if Oliver _did know_ he had a daughter. Moira had crippled Felicity's life, there was no way Felicity was going to let her darkness touch Amelie's life too.

She threw a suitcase on the bed and began packing the contents of her drawers into it.

* * *

 

  
Oliver slammed the mansion door behind him with such force the noise echoed off the walls. He was more confused now than before, what letters? Why had she looked like the fear of god had just settled on her? All this because of a 3 month relationship 5 years ago – something was off, he was missing _something._

His memory tweaked back to the hospital when he had written out her name. Both Moira and Laurel had said they never knew anyone by that name, but both of them had _met_ her. She had stayed in this very house for 2 weeks – and despite his mother’s flippant attitude towards people she didn’t particularly care for – she would have remembered the name at least. He also knew Laurel well enough to know that she could recall at a moment’s notice the name of any girl he had looked at, let alone dated.

But they chose to lie to him – _why?_ She was just an old ex-girlfriend.  
_The letters._  
He trod up the stairs, taking two steps with each stride. He opened every drawer in his room and looked in every book on his shelf – _nothing._

“Oliver? Is everything alright?” Raisa asked from the doorway.  
He looked up and smiled kindly at the older woman.  
“I’m just trying to find something, some letters”

He saw her eyes drop to the floor and then come slowly back up again. She looked down the hall and then gestured for him to stay there as she hurried away.

She came back only moments later with two small folded pieces of paper in her hand. She stepped into his room and closed the door.  
“I held on to these for a long time, I think now you should have them” she handed him the papers which he took from her hands “Oliver, please, whatever these say, don’t let her choice darken your heart. Your mother is a lot of things, but she has always tried to be what she thought you needed. Promise me you will remember that” she finished a sad looked falling across her face, she knew this betrayal would come at a cost, but she cared enough for Oliver to know it would be worth it.

She reached up and touched Oliver’s arm gently “I have loved watching you grow into a good man” she smiled as she left the room, closing the door gently behind her.

Oliver looked down at the paper in his hands apprehensively. He opened the smaller one first, it was crumpled as though it had been screwed up and tossed aside but then rescued.

He took a breath as his eyes danced across the words in front of him:  
_“Oliver,_  
_I don't know how to explain what is going on, I'm so confused._  
_I promise we'll talk about it when we can._  
_I'm scared and I need you to come please._  
_Oliver I'm pregnant._  
_ <3FS”_

His eyes stayed glued to the last word on the note _pregnant_. His eyes narrowed as his brow furrowed in the wake of the word he kept reciting _pregnant – she had been pregnant?_ It took him a few moments to turn his attention to the rest of it and slowly the cloud was lifting and he began to realise what he thought he knew to be true was probably the furthest thing from the truth.

He held the other letter, still sealed in an envelope likely as flat as the day it was received. He opened it with such care as though its contents were central to his life – how right his instincts were.

Two things caught his eye instantly. The first – the word _daughter_ ; the second – the bright blue eyes of a new born baby staring up at him from a wallet-sized photo.

He stepped backwards and stumbled onto the floor with his back propped up against the base of the bed. He drew his knees up a sudden wave of emotion rolling over him as he delicately handled the photo of the beautiful stranger that was part him and part _of_ him.

The letter read like unveiling:

_“Oliver,_

_This is your daughter. Her name is Amelie and she is beautiful._

_I don’t know why you decided against having her in your life or why you pushed her away, all I know is that you will miss a great deal if this is a choice you decide to stick to._

_I don’t write this letter for myself, I understand you don’t care for me as I thought you once did – that’s okay, I will be fine, I write this letter for her. She doesn’t know you yet but you have a chance to show her everything you can be, you have a chance to be her first love, her first dance, her first hero. Let her believe in you._

_For her sake, the door will remain open as long as it can._

_-Felicity”_

Oliver wasn’t an emotional man, but once he read that letter he lost any bravado, any ‘stiff upper lip’ and he wept – he wept for himself, for Felicity and for his daughter and then he wept in the knowledge that this pain was his mother’s doing.

 

 


	13. Her

Oliver stepped out of the elevator at Queen Consolidated, unsure what he would find but itching for a fight. He was now feeling an immeasurable rage that he was struggling to stifle. His fists were clenched, his eyes bloodshot but focused.

He could feel the angered words beginning to bubble forth from within and it was at that moment a tall, strongly built, man approached him from the side.

“Mr Queen?”

Without acknowledging the question he brushed him off with a sideways wave.

“Mr Oliver Queen?”

Oliver stopped outside the glass wall of Robert's office, his father wasn't here – there would be no one to release this tirade on. He took a collected breath and turned to the other matter at hand.

“Yes, that's me” he buried his hands in his pockets

“I had an appointment to see you” he looked down at his watch “about an hour ago, for the personal security job” he extended his arm to him “John, John Diggle”

Oliver returned the gesture and shook his hand “I'm sorry about my lateness, I was dealing with a few things that couldn't wait” he spoke calmly as they walked towards Oliver's office.

Oliver looked over his shoulder to check one more time – still no Robert.

“Perhaps I can help you with a few of those things that can't wait Mr Queen?” John enquired, stepping into Oliver's expansive office

Oliver unbuttoned his jacket as he sat down behind his desk. “I'm actually trying to find someone, are you good at finding people?”

“I have some contacts” John answered coyly

Oliver wrote _Felicity Smoak_ on a post-it note, peeled it away and handed it to John.

“Could you find her?”

John looked down at the name and cracked a smile “That's not going to be a problem” he nodded

“You can just ask the assistant out there for anything you need”

“Not going to need anything Mr Queen”

“Please it's Oliver, and you're not?”

“This girl is like my little sister, I know where she lives cause I lived there too” he replied tapping the note with his finger “But with all due respect, I do have to ask what _you_ want with _her?_ ”

Oliver's eyes widened – _of all the gin joints..._

“It's nothing untoward, we use to be friends”

John wasn't buying it, Oliver Queen wasn't exactly running in the same circles as anyone from the Glades, but he was harmless enough and he knew Felicity could always get rid of him if he wasn't welcome, he'd taught he that crack of a left hook she had after all.

“Do I have the job?”

Oliver managed a genuine smile “It's yours”.

 

* * *

  
Felicity looked up from the suitcase when she heard the lightly reserved knock on the door. She habitually tightened her pony tail as she walked towards the door and opened it.

“Felicity” he whispered with a breath as the desire engulfed him.

He scooped her head into his hands, each thumb tenderly sweeping across her cheek. His eyes locked on her as he guided her lips to his. It was a moment the world stood still and the pain of the past dissipated in the kiss that had been waiting it's turn for so long. 

It was strong but tender conveying with their lips the many things they didn't know how to express with words.

As they parted from the kiss their lips hovered over each other dancing ever so close, their eyes focused on nothing but the other one. His hands still holding her gently. The world still motionless around them.

“I'm sorry” he whispered, so close she could feel his breath on her cheek.

“I know” her soft lips delicately floating above his.

“I didn't know”

“I know” she spoke tenderly, her hand laying delicately on his cheek “I think we should talk”.

* * *

 

They spoke at length about everything, each bit of truth building the puzzle that had imprisoned the last 5 years of their lives.

The depth of the deceit that had kept Oliver from his daughter and Felicity from the life she had wished for her.

“I can't believe she would do that” Oliver spoke, his hands running a path over this temple and through his hair “I should have tried harder to find you, I should have done something – _anything_ ”

He placed his palms down on the table, his eyes softening as they looked at her.

“This is not your fault Oliver” her hand lay on his delicately stroking her finger down a path from his wrist to his second knuckle “and it doesn't dictate who we are from now”

“How are you this amazing? With everything you've been through?” Oliver wondered out loud his hand curving around hers.

“Because I have a reason” she looked towards the photo on the wall and for the first time Oliver noticed the pictures that graced the room.

Drawings of fairies and rainbows, a painting of two stick figures and then he saw it a beautiful photo – a smiling Felicity, the sun dancing through her lightened hair, her arms wrapped tightly around the waist of a beautiful blond child in a yellow dress with a beaming smile caught mid laugh.

“Can I ...” he paused cautious of her reaction “can I meet her?”

Felicity stood up from the table, walked next to Oliver and smiled.

“She's not ready to meet her dad yet, but I know she would love to meet Oliver” her hand rested carefully on his shoulder

He nodded his understanding as a smile rose on his face.

“I'll go get her”

* * *

 

Oliver walked pensively around the room his hands touching small objects that belonged to his daughter – _his daughter_. The idea was so foreign to him but as he picked up a beautifully handmade rag doll nothing had ever felt so natural.

The door opened and Oliver found himself standing in front of the what he knew would be the rest of his life – and nothing would have made him happier.

 

Amelie had one hand tightly wrapped around her mother's leg, the other hand was playfully dancing with the soft curls that fell over her ear.

“Hi” she whispered her little face grinning up at Oliver

“Amelie, this is Oliver, he's a friend of mommy” Felicity explained as she leant down to her.

“Her name is Penelope” Amelie pointed up to the doll in Oliver's hands her eyes a gleaming bright blue “she's a princess”

Oliver got down on one knee in front of Amelie who had taken a step outside of Felicity's shadow and presented her with Penelope “I bet you're a princess too” he winked causing the brightest smile to light up on her angelic face.

Amelie took another step closer, taking the doll from Oliver's hands she leant in close to his ear and whispered to only him “do you believe in fairies?”

Oliver's face broke into a smile as he replied simply “of course”.

* * *

 

Felicity watched the interaction between the two with a warmth in her heart – but as her eyes fell to the suitcase that was already packed she had that nagging feeling that she was risking something staying here.

Oliver stood up from the floor where Amelie had been busy showing him every toy, book and tiny knick-knack she had.

“Thank you, for everything” he softly spoke in Felicity's ear, his hand lingering on her arm

She pulled him towards the kitchen, her eyes looking back at Amelie who was busy colouring in on the floor.

“Oliver, I don't know that Amelie and I should stay in Starling” she remarked, her hands twisting over each other “I'm not willing to put Amelie in Moira's cross-hairs, what she could do, what she might try...”

Oliver reassuringly glided his hand across her shoulder and neck till his finger gently lifted her chin “I won't let her touch a single hair on either of your heads. I have my eyes open now and she will answer for what she did” his words were calm but deliberate and it was that combination that Felicity knew she could trust.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not a long chapter I know, I wanted a chapter just about...her...a little rainbow of happy before I probably turn angsty and emo again xox ☺


	14. Heard

  
The air was a little brisk as Felicity stepped through the open window onto the fire escape landing, careful not to spill the contents of the two mugs she was holding, handing one on to Oliver who was sitting with his back against the wall and his legs outstretched and hanging off the end of the landing.

  
“Hot cocoa?” he smiled wrapping both his arms around the fairy emblazoned cup  
“Sorry, no fancy coffee machines here” Felicity smiled “and she insisted you be allowed to use her favourite mug” she nodded towards the room she had just come from.  
“Goodnight mommy” a little voice chirped from inside as Felicity sat down on the landing next to Oliver 

  
A tiny face peeked out the window and giggled “Goodnight Mr Oliver” before running back to bed.  
“We can tell her soon, I promise” Felicity whispered, as she nursed the hot drink in her hands “Just for right now, it’s a lot for a four year old to take in, you know?” she looked up at him, the moon catching the side of his face. He looked barely changed, time had been kind to him. 

  
“It’s okay, I’m still trying to make sense of it myself” he reassured her, his hand lingering on her thigh longer than it needed to  
“What did you tell her about me?” he asked softly, pensively waiting to hear a painful answer  
“I told her the truth of sorts” her eyes went down to meet his, her hand turning his head gently towards her “I just told her you were lost to us and that one day maybe you would be found. Despite everything, I wanted her to think you might still care” she caught the words as she spoke them, but it was too late, she saw the pang of guilt cross his face. 

  
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean – ” she paused, forming her next words “I spent years coming to terms with what I thought you wanted, it will take me sometime to reprogram that”  
“I have a lot to make up for regardless. We could start with your living arrangements” he smiled tapping the grated floor of the fire escape landing  
“What you don’t like my fancy abode? I never pegged you for an elitist Oliver Queen” she laughed, pinching the underside of his arm  
“I have an apartment in the city, it’s yours. You don’t need to work, I’ll take care of everything”  
“It’s not about that Oliver, it’s never been about money, I don’t need –” 

  
He caught her off guard mid-sentence with a soft kiss to her lips, something he had been thinking about doing since she had sat down beside him.

  
He spoke as he pulled away ever so slightly, her lips were left parted floating dangerously close to his “I know that you don’t need anyone to pay for you, or protect you” his hand softly caressed her neck “but for right now, this is what I know how to do, please let me”

  
She blinked and nodded slowly as her lips mouthed the word “okay” on to his.

"I thought of you when the boat went down" he sighed, the memory of the loss of Thea was still painful for him "you, as I remember you before, you were on the island with me.  Telling me to get up.  I never saw your face" his hand swept across her cheek as he spoke "but it was you, you've always been in my thoughts,  even when the accident took my memory, it came back, you came back".

She dropped her head to his shoulder nestling into his frame as he kissed the top of her head, and there they sat in peaceful calm, next to each other and touched by the bright light of a new moon. 

* * *

 

Oliver hadn’t wanted to leave that night, he didn’t want to be anywhere else but there with Felicity so as morning broke he stretched from his night spent on the armchair in the corner of the room. Sleep had evaded him most of the night as through the flickering street lamp outside the window he had watched them sleeping, his heart consumed with two very conflicting emotions – the love he felt for them balancing with the hate he felt for the ones who had kept them apart.

  
In his mind he had devised a plan which would see him removed completely from the ones he once called family while still being able to provide for the ones he now considered family – but it would come at great personal cost for two particular people which – if get let himself speak honestly – was the best part.

* * *

  
Felicity had agreed to at least look at the apartment this morning, she had nowhere else to be considering in her moment of readying to leave Starling she had pre-emptively quit her jobs – or more accurately quit one and likely fired from the other given she left mid-shift and never returned.

  
Felicity was now busy explaining – more briefly than it really deserved – the situation to Rosa, who was listening but with her eyes cautiously trained on Oliver. Which was a little less intimidating compared to John Diggle’s deadpan expression, overbearing stature and the occasional twitch of his huge bicep as he didn’t blink away from watching Oliver and Amelie standing in the floor landing.

  
Amelie was oblivious to the sizing up that was surrounding the atmosphere as she tapped Oliver three times on the hand – an action which reminded him fondly of Felicity’s penchant to the same three tap rule – Oliver turned his attention to Amelie who beckoned him down to her level. He leant over and, tiptoeing, she whispered in his ear “I know who you are”  
“You do?” he questioned, his voice audible to only her  
She nodded slowly and deliberately then put her index finger to her lips in a _shushing_ motion. He went to press her further but before he could say anything she had skipped over to grab Felicity’s hand. 

* * *

“It' not exactly furnished, just keep that in mind” Oliver smiled as he punched the front door key code to the large polished wooden penthouse door.

Amelie was in complete awe as she held tightly onto Penelope, he eyes rising the height of the door – it was the tallest door she had ever seen and her faced showed it.

The door opened and the 2-storey high entrance was as extravagant as Felicity expected it to be, marbled floors echoed the tapping of her shoes, a huge wire chandelier hung above a coffee table flanked by large white leather couches, the double height window directly in front opened out to a balcony which looked over the best parts of Starling City. It was straight from a _Home & Design_ magazine, but Felicity's first thoughts were to wonder how long it would take to clean this place?

“The bedrooms are all upstairs” he smiled taking her by the hand  
“Bedrooms? How many?” she laughed, enjoying the excitement he was extolling

Oliver opened the door to the first of the bedrooms, the master bedroom, and it was nothing short of luxurious, beautiful white sheer curtains hung along the floor to ceiling windows, the carpet was soft under bare feet, a second beautiful chandelier hung about the bed that was at the least a California Queen size.

As Felicity walked closer to admire the view the private patio afforded them, Amelie made a beeline for the bed, making faux snow angels on the crisp – and probably very expensive – linen.

“Ollie?” a female voice chirped from the en-suite  
Both Felicity and Oliver turned to the direction of the voice as Laurel appeared in the doorway, in a black, lacy and very sheer camisole.

“Oh gah” Felicity gulped her hand instinctively covering Amelie's eyes – who had sat upright when she heard the voice and had seen enough to innocently question “where are her pants?”

Felicity scooped Amelie into her arms, her eyes locked on Oliver – who appeared to be stunned silent. Without waiting for an explanation she left the room and headed towards the front door.

Oliver finally realising what was happening around him, picked up a throw blanket off the bed and threw it at Laurel “put something over yourself” he scolded before turning on his heels to follow the direction to which Felicity had absconded.

“Felicity wait!” he called  
Felicity stopped, her hand still – for some reason – covering Amelie's eyes as the girl was giggling about pants.  
“Really Oliver? Really?” she was lost for any other words  
“I'm sorry, I don't know what's she's doing here, we're not together” he pleaded  
“Since when?” Laurel interjected, the blanket barely covering what the camisole completed neglected  
“When I told you we were finished and you slapped me” Oliver retorted, his face constricted with anger, both for now and her past transgressions  
“That was just a tiff silly” she purred, rubbing her hands down his arm

“You know, I don't want to interrupt whatever _this_ is, so I'm just going to leave” Felicity turned back towards the door as Laurel cocked her head to the side, smirked and waved her on.

“Get out of my house now Laurel, you're not welcome here ever” Oliver demanded, his voice stern but calm in front of Amelie – he would have preferred to say much, much more, but here and now was not the right time or place.

Laurel's mouth twisted into a scowl as her eyes narrowed on Felicity.  
“And who are these people?” she spat  
“Surely you remember my college girlfriend, Felicity” Oliver replied the contempt dripping from each word “and this” he touched Amelie's head gently “is my daughter, Amelie”

The expressions on all four faces in the room changed dramatically, Amelie – who had wrestled her eyes out from underneath Felicity's hand was beaming from ear to ear – she had heard what he had said.

Felicity's face was one of concern and wondering how much a 4 year old could understand – she had heard what he had said.

Laurel's face was one of shock and genuine surprise, that was not something she was expecting – but she had heard what he had said.

Oliver's face was – at first proud of his unwavering acknowledgment of his daughter – but then his mind replayed the moment and he just heard what he had said. _My daughter._

 

 


	15. Anger

Laurel had gathered her things together and left in a hurry.  Neither Oliver nor Felicity had spoken a single word.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t-“ Oliver started, stopping when Felicity raised her finger in a _one minute_ gesture

She put Amelie down, ruffled her hair and told her to take Penelope to explore the house.  The little girl dutifully skipped away flicking Oliver a ‘ _thumbs up_ ’ before Felicity pulled him into a nearby room – a study of sorts with a large white desk and some well-placed furniture.

 

Felicity slumped into a black and white print accent chair, a hand catching her head and it draped forward.

“What were you thinking?” she sighed, her voice stoic but peppered with fear

He knelt down in front of her, his hand reaching out to hold hers, she welcomed him in instinctively holding his hand tight against her chest.

“I wasn’t thinking, I’m sorry”

“I’ve spent a long time hiding from your mother, she’ll know soon and that scares me” Felicity admitted truthfully, there was little that scared her in life – but the depths of depravity that Moira Queen would go to, simply to secure her stature in life, was most definitely one of them.

“So, stop hiding.  Moria works in secret, behind closed doors and on hushed phone conversations, she doesn’t work out in the open”

 Felicity glanced up at Oliver – _he had lost his marbles_.

But then again, maybe he had a point?  Everything Moira got away with doing was because she worked with lies and secrets and hidden agendas – she worked in shadows, not in broad daylight.

 “How?” Felicity questioned with trepidation

“Tonight, there is a charity event for the Children’s Hospital, we should go” his eyes met hers “together, as a family”

 _Family_ the word terrified Felicity and her brain told her this was a bad idea, but as she looked into his smiling blue eyes, one eyebrow raised in anticipation and a welcome parted-lip smile across his face – her heart won.

“We have to talk to Amelie” she her inner monologue voiced out loud

 

* * *

 

They found her buried in throw pillows on the pristine white entrance couch.

“Melie, mommy needs to have a talk with you” Felicity cooed, perching on the edge of the coffee table.

Oliver sat down beside her, his hand slipped around her back resting adoringly on her hip, his thumb against in the small of her back.

Amelie sprung up from the mess of pillows, smiling like she knew what they didn’t yet.

“Melie, Oliver is your...” she never finished the sentence as Amelie sprung off the couch and wrapped her arms around Oliver’s neck, she squeezed him tightly, her face buried in his shoulder.  His hand instinctively moved to rest against her soft blond hair as his other hand stretched out on her back, holding her so close he could feel her heart beating.

 

“I knew he’d find you” she grinned, her eyes as wide as they could be.

“Who?” Felicity questioned, her hand trawling a gentle line down Oliver’s back in a gesture of true sincerity.

“Big Uncle Digg.  I saw you out the window, you came home with him.  I told you Mommy, I told you he would find him”

 

* * *

 

"Do I look okay?” Felicity apprehensively breathed, smoothing down the fuchsia silk chiffon gown that Oliver had called in a favour and had delivered to the apartment.  Oliver turned from the mirror where he had been adjusting his black tie.

He stepped back, his eyes unable to stop studying every curve of her body – the way her hair fell softly on her shoulders, the sides delicately pinned back, the way the v-cut of the dress drew his eyes down her chest, the way the fabric fell delicately from her clinched waist and the way her pink lips beckoned him near.

He felt his body brimming, he remembered the sensory way her body felt from those moments they shared years ago.  Looking at her now he wondered how it might have changed and a desire to find out was surging through his body.

“I’m finding this hard” he breathed taking a step towards her, animalistically licking his lips

“You’re hard? I mean what’s hard?” she babbled, her eyes unable to meet his

“I’m trying to resist you, and it’s hard” he whispered, his hand advancing forward put resisting the allure of her soft skin

Truth was she was feeling the same rush.  She had not easily forgotten the way his body had felt pushed up against her, the way the weight of it had held her below him – not in malice, but in strength, the way his lips had caressed parts of her body she had never wanted another man to go near – lest the sensation he left be tarnished and now, looking across the figure he cut in his simple black suit she couldn’t help but imagine how she would like to relive those moments they shared and discover one another again.

  _Maybe they could just…._

They were barely an inch from each other now, her chest rising and falling more pronounced with each breath she took.  He could almost taste her, his mouth longing to move across her body.

_Maybe they could just…._

“Mommy” a little voice from the doorway

They broke back from each other, Oliver sheepishly turned away, trying to contain the arousal that had been brimming in his pants.

 “I think I look like a princess” Amelie grinned, flouncing the beautiful white and silver dress as John appeared behind her.

“Just like her mom” he smiled at Felicity, then turned to Oliver, his expression muted “We should get going Mr Queen”

John took Amelie’s hand and chatted with her as they walked down the stairs.

 

“I don’t think my new security guard would take a bullet for me” Oliver spoke in a hushed tone as he cracked a smirk

“He’s just a little protective” Felicity smiled back, patting his shoulder “but, yeah, I wouldn’t plan on getting shot at any time soon” she laughed walking off in front of him.

He watched her walk off for a moment unable to pull his gaze away until she looked over her shoulder, her smile enticing him to follow.

 

* * *

 

 

The ballroom was exquisitely decorated in things that Felicity guessed rich kids found entertaining, even the performers looked like the classy kind of magicians and jugglers that you don’t find in most backyard birthday parties.

Helium balloons created a waterfall down the wall to one side while the other side had artistic face painters and a chocolate fountain that had to be at least 6 foot high.

Amelie was eager but Felicity held her hand tightly a wave of trepidation spilling over her – playing with her insecurities that coming here may not have been the best decision.

Oliver reached for her hand, entwining his fingers with hers.  Amelie broke free and headed straight for the chocolate fountain, Felicity went to follow but John step to meet her “I’ve got this” he smiled, his little sister – as he thought of her – deserved a night off.

 

Felicity put one foot in front of the other, her ice-white strappy 5inch high stilettos tapping out the pattern on the steps.  As she climbed them she was self aware that people were watching them.  She was certain they were trying to figure out who they girl was that Oliver Queen was virtually parading under their noses.

As if reading her thoughts he leant in, his hand on her waist “They’re all just jealous of me, because I have you”

She blushed at his words a moment of sheer intoxication and joy that had taken years for her to feel again swept around her.

 

“Hello son” a voice, Felicity imagined she would never forget the sound of, came from behind them

_As if by murphy’s law._

Felicity stayed with her back to Moira, frozen – not with fear – but with something else, something that threatened to ruin the atmosphere of this charity event.  A point she reminded herself _children’s charity – for kids – not a real housewives reunion special_.

She felt herself closing in against Oliver, biting her lips to stop the likely event that words unfit for small ears may spew out.

 

Moira leant in to kiss Oliver, unaware who the blond with the striking figure to the left of him was.  Oliver stepped back from her, his eyes trained and narrowed on her, although she had not yet figured out why.

Oliver, like Felicity needed to remind himself that this also was not the time or place, but there was certainly no way he would be playing even remotely civil with her.

 

Amelie ran up between them, pushing Felicity to the side and no longer facing with her back to Moira as she had done to envelope the anger she was feeling.  Amelie, unaware of what she had just stumbled into, grabbed Oliver’s hand and smiled up at him, a move which did not go unnoticed by Moira.

“And who is this delightful little girl?” Moira questioned, her hand reaching to touch Amelie’s head

 Felicity grabbed her by the wrist and pushed her arm backwards “Don’t you _dare_ touch her” she scolded – if looks could kill.

 “Felicity” Oliver spoke quietly, his arm moving Amelie behind him

 At that moment Moria looked like the sky was falling around her feet.  For once in her life she was left speechless.

 

“We have to go baby” Felicity spoke hurriedly as she clutched Amelie’s hands and walked swiftly for the front door.

 With not a single word to Moria – who was still trying to let the dust settle in her mind – Oliver followed, with John a close second behind.

 Oliver caught up to Felicity outside, his touch spinning her around in the brisk evening air.

 

“You don’t need to be afraid of her, she won’t say anything in there.  She’s all about saving face” Oliver reassured

“Damnit Oliver” Felicity replied

Amelie’s mouth gaped open at hearing her mother use that word. 

With her hands over Amelie’s ears she continued “I’m not afraid of that witch and what she might do in there, I’m afraid of what _I might to do_ that witch in there”

 

“Digg, can you take us home please” she breathed, she was struggling to calm her racing heart

“The penthouse?” Oliver questioned, fearful he already knew the answer judging by her face – she clearly thought going there was a mistake – a mistake he may have insisted on.

“No, our home” Felicity sighed, her eyes gesturing only towards Amelie and herself

“I’ll see you to your front door” Oliver responded – making the best of what was a bad situation.

* * *

 

The car ride was taken in silence. The excitement of the day had taken its toll on Amelie who was propped up against Felicity’s shoulder, her eyes glazing over as the movement of the car lulled her to sleep.

John pulled the car to the curb at the less than prestigious _Meadowbank Apartments_ and waited for someone to say something.

“Digg can you please take her to Ma’s, I’ll come get her later.

He agreed, passing the car keys to Oliver before reaching in the back seat and easily lifting a sleeping Amelie into his arms.

Only after he disappeared inside Felicity finally spoke up “I’m so angry Oliver, I don’t want to be that person, I don’t want her to get to me, but this is all too much” tears began forming at the corners of her eyes “I’ve never hated anyone, but I hate her, and being with you puts me in her path and I can’t live with that right now. I thought I could, that I could see her and not want to kill her, that I could be with Oliver, separate from your last name...” she paused to wipe away the stream of tears that had taken over.

Oliver reached to comfort her, his heart breaking at her vulnerability.

She stepped back from him and took a breath to calm herself.

“I’m sorry Oliver, I just need space”

She turned from him, those stunning shoes that had held so much promise in their steps early in the evening now tapped out a sad goodbye as she walked the concrete path to the door.

He wanted to follow her, but he couldn’t bring himself to push her, his name was forever synced to a name that caused her immeasurable pain.

Felicity reached the door, holding her dress up slightly with one hand as the other reached for the door.

Handsy Mark surprised her, sideling up to her, drunk. She attempted to side step him, but he was more agile than normal, he grinned disgustingly as he fondled at her breast.

She caught his nose with a quick and well placed jab from the heel of her hand, sending him stumbling backwards, which was enough to catch Oliver’s attention causing him to run to her aid.

She brought the weight of his body onto her kneecap winding him as he fell to the floor. She heard the sound of the door open behind her as she pushed the heel of those ice-white shoes into the side of his neck puckering the skin under its pressure.

“If you ever touch another woman without an invitation, they won’t find your body” she calmly threatened the heel digging in deeper almost ready to break the skin.

With one last kick to his groin to make a point she walked away, and for the second time since meeting her Oliver was left aghast.

 


	16. Be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to call this chapter Penguin but it wasn't quite in keeping, so let's just call it a subheading :)
> 
> Also there is smut - so you have been warned (or given great news depending of which way you look at it)

  
“Felicity, wait” Oliver called after her as she entered her apartment.

“This isn't space” Felicity muttered sarcastically

“Felicity I understand that you're angry, but I've decided I'm not letting you out of my life again” Oliver spoke as he collected her hands into his

“I _am_ angry Oliver, I _hate_ that woman”

“So _be_ angry, yell, scream, get it out, _be_ angry”

“I can't, because if I do that then she has taken _another_ piece of my soul and she has already taken too much from me”

“Then don't be angry, just _be_ ” he paused, his breath calm and deliberate “just _be_ with me”

 

She felt the moment her inhibitions dropped, she was tired of thinking, tired of needing to be something for someone else, she was just tired – he was right, she should just _be_.

 

She was going to just _be_ with him in that moment.

 

Pulling on the collar his suit jacket she yanked him nearer, her lips longed for him, her body ached for him and right now she was going to give them what they wanted. She kissed him vivaciously. His lips met her tempo as they vied for control of the tryst. He braced her hard against the wall as her pelvis rode up the side of his leg.

 

He lifted her into the air as she wrapped her legs around him, the sound of the fuchsia gown ripping at the side not enough to make them stop. He sat on the bed, her on his lap, his hands pulling her closer into the kiss as her body writhed against his.

 

She pushed him down onto the bed, her fingers trawling down his shirt roughly tugging at each button, the last one giving her trouble. Oliver ripped it off, his need for her to be close again outweighing any consideration to his clothes. She climbed on top of him, her nails skating across his chest, her legs rocking her body against him as her lips started a trail from his belly button.

 

His taunt skin twitched under her lips, breathing him in he smelt as she remembered him and it drove her endorphins skyrocketing.

 

His hands pawed at her ass under the fabric of her dress as she rocked on top of him, he could feel the lace of her underwear entwined in his hands sending his blood racing to his penis as it grew beneath her.

 

“Oh” she moaned as he humped his bulge against he.

“Oh, oh no” she snapped upright, as if suddenly realising where they were and what they were getting ready to do.

“What's wrong” he panted, his hands still rubbing the soft skin of her ass.

 

“This is Amelie's bed, we can't do that” she smiled her hand rubbing his tented pants “here”

His eyes widened, realising what she was talking about. He stood up off the bed.

They were both hungry for more so it was only a second until their lips were hungrily feasting upon each other, their hands running races across the other one's body.

 

They stumbled around the room before bumping against the table. Grabbing at her thighs he lifted her up and pulled apart her legs, stepping in between them before pushing the dress high up her waist revealing her hot pink knickers that made him hot with desire.

Her fingers dug into his shoulder as he kissed below her ear his body hard up against hers perched on the table top.

_The table top, where Amelie colours in... oh gah_

She pushed him back again, more violently than she was intending

“Not here either” she said hurriedly, nodding down towards the colour book that was sitting inches from her exposed thigh.

She fell into his arms from the table, her lips gnawing at his.

“Chair?” he mumbled between kisses

“Can't she reads there” Felicity replied her lips dragging along his jawline

“My house?”

“Too far”

Her hands skidded across his pants, rubbing him till he gasped, then she felt them. Reaching her hands in his pockets she pulled out the keys, pulled away from the kiss and smiled “the car”

 

She took his hand and skidded to the door, he spun her around laying another hot and heavy kiss on her mouth as she opened the front door behind her back.

They raced down the stairs, Felicity in her ripped dress and Oliver with his exposed chest, but none of that mattered.

Oliver unlocked the car and they fell in together a mess of lips and hands fondling each other.

“Thank god the windows are tinted” she laughed as she perched herself on top of him and reaching behind, she unzipped her dress slowly to his awaiting and amorous gaze.

 

The dress gave way revealing her pert breasts, she smiled as she noticed the giddy look on his face, it was the same one he had given her many years ago, but this time it was more _passionate._

He pulled her body in close to his, his face buried between her breast, breathing her in and tasting her soft subtle skin, his mind a race of _I want you, I need you_.

He cupped one breast in his hands, flicking his fingers across the nipple as she leant back between the front seats, her arms spread to either side holding herself up. His mouth cupped and caressed her other breast, delicately at first then deeper and harder, the stubble on his face grazing against her milky skin.

 

“Oliver” she moaned as her hands loosed his belt.

She reached her hands into his briefs as he mapped every part of her exposed chest with his lips. She lay her hands on his member, rubbing it between her thumb and middle finger. She felt his body contort with pleasure underneath her own.

“You're beautiful” he whispered, taking a moment to appreciate the hazes of the street lights delicately outlining her figure as his hands ran the length of her back, skimming over the perfect curve of her rear.

 

She slid his pants down from underneath him, the delicate touch of her fingertips across his shaft making him pulsate.

Reaching under her dress he pulled her knickers to the side, they were both very ready.

She slid onto him, her body arched to the pleasure of the moment as he pulled her closer, his lips craving the taste of hers again.

She rocked her pelvis slowly, pulling him in then pulling away, her body constricting around him with each rhythmic rock. He thrust himself deeper as she continued to ride him, their hot sticky breaths filling the air around them as condensation built up on the window panes.

 

Faster he took her, her body a mix of pleasure and pressure as he pushed himself deeper and she rode him down further. Her hair tickled pleasurably against his chest as she dropped her head to his shoulder her lips honing in on a spot with tenacity.

They moved in unison now, faster, deeper – him wanting every part of her and her wanting every part of him.

He felt himself ready to explode, his head falling back against the headrest. He moaned in pleasure as she continued to pull him into her, her own pleasure nearing the very brink. He put his head down onto her chest desperate to breathe her in again as he felt himself release inside of her, she moaned quietly as she felt her own pleasurable release.

 

She lay her head onto his chest, his pounding heart filling her ear, the scent of his body filling her nose and feeling of his hands smoothly and slowly stroking her back was all the kinds of perfect she needed, and if he could manage to speak between his panting – he would be saying the same thing.

* * *

 

After obtaining some level of re-dress they headed back upstairs and into the small apartment.

“I'm going to take a shower” she smiled walking her fingers up his arm “You could join me, for water conservation purposes of course” she said pouting her lips into a smile.

 

They undressed slowly taking their time to see what they hadn't seen in the darkened back seat of the expensive town car parked out front. He watched her like a beautiful painting as she stepped into the running shower, she arched her back into the water, letting it fall onto her face and through her hair before she smiled and gestured for him to join her.

 

They took the time under the flowing water to appreciate with their fingers the shapes of their bodies. Oliver was determine to learn each curve, each freckle, each delicate dip.

 

She picked up a loofah from the shower caddy and smothered it in apple scented body wash. Her eyes playfully smiled as she ran the loofah across his well defined chest, which was now more rugged than it once was, like it had only gotten better with age.

 

Taking the loofah from her hands he gestured for her to spin around. He watched her turn as water droplets formed in the curve of her body and then marched a trail down her porcelain skin.

 

“What's this from?” he questioned his index finger dancing across the scar on her shoulder

“A gun shot, but that's a story for another time” she breathed, desiring this moment to stay as it was, not a deep delve into her past.

 

He noticed the criss cross of scars across her back and he wanted to ask, _but..._

She could sense him staring at them as his hand and the loofah slowly covered her back in apple scented bubbles.

“Those are for another time too okay?” she whispered as she turned to meet him, her eyes searching for acceptance in him

He leant in kissing her wet forehead with the most gentle of kisses.

“I will be ready to listen, whenever you want to talk” he smiled as he pulled away.

* * *

 

They slept together that night in the bed, mostly dressed and comfortable in each others arms.

 

Felicity lay with her head on his chest, the soothing sound of his breathing lulling her into the most peaceful sleep she had had in a long time.

 

His arm was wrapped around her, his fingers playing softly with her hair as he feel asleep to the scent of her under his nose.

 

There was no need for words, no need for overt displays of affection; as they simply lay together in bed, the blankets encasing them, that was all the validation of their care for one another that they needed.

 

Like penguins who, once they were together and despite any distance one may travel, they would come back to each other. They would always find each other. Oliver and Felicity had been lost, split apart from each other, but they had found each other again – and in that they had also found their own private place of comfort, their own place to just _be_.

 


	17. Past

“That’s the last of it” Oliver announced proudly as he put the last box down on the marble floor.

They had made a decision early that morning, a whim of a decision but one that felt right nevertheless. It was also prudent given that Felicity had broken the nose of the building manager – so the decision was made, Felicity and Amelie were moving into the ridiculously white, show room style penthouse with Oliver.

Although it was undoubtedly a big decision, it was by far the easiest one she had to make.

Despite Felicity’s reservations Amelie took to the change like a duck to the water – she was smitten with Oliver and had spent the morning trying to convince him to paint a rainbow on the wall of her bedroom, Oliver hadn’t been able to say no.

“I have a surprise for you” he smiled resting his head on the back of Felicity’s shoulder as he instinctively rubbed her arm  
She turned to face him her face lit up in wonder “What?”  
“Come” he pulled her up the stairs and put his hand over her eyes. Stepping behind her and holding her closely he walked her forward.

She heard the click of a door opening. She took a few more guided steps forward and then stopped. He planted a surprise kiss on the back of her neck before softly whispered “Open your eyes” as he moved his hand away from them.

She looked around the room that had once been the sparsely decorated office they had spoken in, however now it has a computer lab’s worth of equipment all shiny and new.

“Oh, this does not offend me” she gaped, her eyes wandering around the room until they met back at Oliver’s “but why?”  
“I need your help” Oliver replied, gesturing for her to sit down at the white padded office chair.

Eagerly she accepted, it had been a long time since she had been around anything of this level – except for that stint a while back, but that was not something she wanted to let her mind wander back to right now.

“So, what do you need Mr Queen” she smiled, flexing her fingers above the keyboard  
“I want to know how my mother was able to keep us apart for so long” he replied soberly “I know I called you and emailed you and you go nothing, there was a reason and I want to know it”

Felicity looked up at him from her new found home on the white swivel chair, her face relaxed but cautious “Oliver, I’m not sure rehashing the past is a good idea” – although to be fair she was curious about that too.

“I need to know” he sighed, the cogs in his mind ticking over

She was busy typing for about a minute when he sauntered around to the back of the desk, his eyes looking out the window in front of them overlooking the bay.  
“If you need some passwords I might be able to help, or maybe I could get you into the office”  
She laughed “Not going to do that Oliver”  
“I know you don’t want to be there but – “

As had become her custom she stopped him mid-sentence with a raised index finger.  
“Not going to do that Oliver because I’m already inside the Queen Consolidated system. You guys should consider hiring better IT people I could break that firewall in my sleep” she smiled leaning back in the chair.

“You know, I thought you might have needed warming up a bit” he smiled as he walked around to the back of her chair, his arms poised on her shoulders “It’s been what, 5 years?” he casually questioned.

 _Not quite_ her brain reminded her  
“Just like riding a bike” she smiled back up to him, then turning back to the screen “I think there is something here, there is a remote divert, huh, but….I, hmm..” she trailed off from actually speaking words as she pulled her phone from her pocket and placed it on the desk.  
“Phone please” she instructed holding her hand out to Oliver, she cross referenced his number to the one on the screen and lucky for them he still had the same number”  
She dialled her old number which had permanently ingrained in her mind, put his on speaker and waited.

Three lines of code flashed up on a monitor to the left and the phone call connected “ _Hi, you’ve reached Felicity, leave a message_ ”.

Felicity dropped the call as Oliver leant his hands down on the glass desk.  
“Your voicemail?” he questioned  
“Firstly, that’s not me. Secondly, I threw that phone away 5 years ago, that number doesn’t exist and thirdly 5 years and whoever set this thing up couldn’t be assed turning it off” she assessed as she tapped her pen on the arm of the chair.  
“Let’s start with that’s not you” Oliver didn’t understand most of what she had just said.

“Yea okay it _sounds_ like me, but it’s not. I _never_ called myself Felicity on my message and I’m pretty sure my last message consisted of ‘ _you rung, I didn’t answer_ ’ and then a beep. You remember me in college right?” she laughed  
“Second point, I literally threw my phone, that number, in the bin, I don’t think a phone has that long of a battery life, but the phone rang before the voicemail kicked in”  
“And thirdly?” Oliver piped in  
“Thirdly, yes” she smiled playfully smacking her pen against his hand on the table “no one bothered to turn it off which means I can....” tap, tap, tap “Yep, there, the person who signed it off” a company profile popped up on the screen to the far right complete with name and photo ID “ _Mr Daniel Brick_ , mean anything to you?”  
She spun the chair around – something she probably found too enjoyable for a grown mother – catching the look on Oliver’s face it was very clear he knew Mr Brick.

Oliver did know him, he had known him since he was about 10 when he joined the Queen family security team, he had considered him like a second father.

“I need you to print what you have” Oliver requested, picking his phone off the desk  
“Oliver, I didn’t exactly come by this information legally, and what are you intending on doing with the information?”  
“Working something out, please just trust me” he smiled planting a soft kiss on the top of her head “I’ll be back in a hour of so. Enjoy your new toys”

She watched him leave and heard him go down the stairs and open the front door, she assumed by the mumbled voices that John was going with him.

She cast her eye across the set up in front of her which sat with an unrivalled and beautiful view. She could allow herself to get use to this. Her fingers hovered over the centred keyboard remembering the thrill, the intensity and the pain of where a similar set up with a very different view had steered her life 3 years ago.

* * *

 

  
“Just here” Oliver directed as John pulled the town car to the curb in front of a standard style suburban house.

It was the second stop Oliver had made today, the first was the offices of Marsden Banks, a high paid corporate law firm. He had left John in the lobby for that 45 minute meeting. He had returned with a stack of papers tucked under his arm and directions to the next stop – the suburban house with the green fence that they were parked in front of.

“No trouble in here” Oliver said patting John’s shoulder “You can stay here”

Oliver exited the car and walked up the cobbled path to the front door. He knocked twice and waited. The door creaked open.

“Hello Daniel” Oliver said noticing pretty quickly Mr Brick didn’t fancy meeting his eye line “Can I come in?”  
The grey haired man in his 60s moved to the side of the door and, perhaps reluctantly, gestured for Oliver to come in.

 

* * *

 

 Felicity eyed the oversized clock in the living room as her and Amelie were sat on the floor colouring. Oliver had been gone for an hour already.

“Mommy, this picture is for” Amelie paused “Do I call him Mr Oliver, or do I call him daddy?”  
“What do you want to call him?”  
Amelie thought about it for a moment her finger resting on her puckered lips.  
“Daddy” she answered shyly  
“Then that’s what you call him baby” Felicity smiled stroking Amelie’s hair.

Felicity looked up as she heard a knock on the front door _how had Oliver forgotten the code for his own door_ she wondered.

She walked over to the door and pulled it open to come face to face with Moira Queen.  
“I see you’ve wasted no time moving in on my son” she scowled  
Felicity went to shut the door, but Moira pushed it back. Felicity eyed her up, she was a waif of a thing it probably would take much break a couple of bones – she smiled at the thought.

“Daddy!” Amelie exclaimed as she ran towards the front door.  
She stopped in her tracks when it was someone different at the door.  
“Amelie, go back to the room” Felicity reacted, harsher in tone than she had meant  
Amelie backed away a few steps then turned and ran into the room she’d come from.

“So that’s my granddaughter” Moira spoke tersely  
“No, she was your granddaughter four and a half years ago, now she is a little girl you will _never_ speak to again” Felicity replied her voice sharp her eyes focused on Moira seeing she was not intimidated by her “What do you want?”  
“My son, is he here?”  
“No”  
“When will he return?”  
“Not sure, now if that is all” Felicity started to push the door closed  
“I’m concerned my son would let a convicted drug dealer into his home” the smirk on her face made Felicity stabby three different kinds of ways  
“I haven’t any idea what you’re talking about Moira” she replied through stiffened shoulders  
“So you haven’t told him?”  
"Oliver knows everything, but see” Felicity paused smiling widely – she would not be intimidated “I think it’s _you_ who has been misinformed” a shrug and a head tilt finishing it off.

“Let’s not play dumb shall we Ms Smoak, I know you were convicted and I _know_ you have a criminal record” Moira leaned in coyly as she spoke  
“Here’s the thing, you don’t _know_ anything. Would you like my date of birth to double check? It’s 28 February 1989, do you want to write that down? Got it? So now one of your goons can look into what you do and what you _don’t_ know. Let me know what you find, I would be _so_ interested” she pushed the door closed, no doubt leaving a very surprised Moira standing on the other side.

See, the morning Felicity packed her mother’s car and headed to Starling City she also created a small clerical error which saw one conviction for possession of a Class B substance transferred from Felicity Megan Smoak to a 60 year old convicted murdered who had been sitting on death row for the past 25 years.

Felicity Megan Smoak had a crystal clear history in the eyes of the law.

 


	18. Twist

****  
Daniel Brick looked over the affidavit in his hands, his breathing heavy and his head hung low. All those years ago he followed instructions from his boss without questioning why and today he had been given the reason and as a father and a grandfather the knowledge of that weighed heavy on him.

“I'm sorry Oliver” he sighed, the lines on his face expressing his regret

“I don't need an apology” Oliver calmly responded “I need you to sign that” he stood up and left a business card behind “they'll be waiting for your call”

Oliver extended his hand towards the man in a gesture that, although hard, was important. He knew the influence Moira Queen had – she said jump, you asked how high.

* * *

 

“I'm fine from here John” Oliver said as the car pulled up outside the apartment building

“Now that I'm off the clock” John said as he turned to face Oliver in the back seat “If you hurt either of those two girls, you'll answer to me” he smirked, but the undertone showing he was completely serious.

“As I should John” Oliver replied as he opened the door

“My friends can call me Dig”

Oliver waved as the car pulled away.

 

“Ollie” a voice called from behind him as he started up the front steps.

He considered just continuing inside and ignoring her, but before he could make the choice there was a hand on his arm.

“What do you want Laurel?” he sighed, turning to face her, the poignant smell of alcohol drifting from her

“I just need to talk” she sniffed, her eyes stained red

Oliver looked up, desperately wanting to be up there with Felicity rather than down here with Laurel, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt looking at the state Laurel was in.

He nodded towards the coffee shop across the road, it was almost 6pm and she could do with a coffee and a sober up.

 

They walked across the road, Oliver looking up over his shoulder to the penthouse with the lights on.

They took an outside table and Oliver ordered the largest blackest coffee for Laurel they had.

“What do you want to talk about Laurel?” Oliver questioned his hands laid on his lap

“Your daughter is beautiful” Laurel half smiled wiping a tear that was tracking down her cheek “she looks just like you”

“Why are we here Laurel?” Oliver repeated, discussing his daughter with Laurel was not high on his to-do list

“And Felicity, you love her don't you?”

Oliver sighed and leant back in his chair, his arms folding across his chest as the coffees arrived.

“I can tell you love her” she slurred slightly “you loved her back then too didn't you. I knew that when I saw you together back then. She was so different to me, I suppose that's what hurt the most, that she was so different and those shoes” she laughed, running her hands across the coffee cup.

“Laurel, you didn't bring me here to discuss my girlfriend's choice of footwear at college did you?” he calmly replied, leaning forward and laying his hands on the table “you've been drinking and you should go home and sober up”

“Ollie, I didn't know about your daughter, I didn't know” she sniffed “I was just jealous, I didn't want you to think about her”

 

Oliver sighed “what do you want me to say Laurel?”

“Say that you forgive me?” she whispered laying her hand on top of his

He pulled his hand away

“You should go home Laurel, sleep it off” he stood up from the table and hailed a taxi

Laurel stood up as a taxi pulled over “I really did love you Ollie” she mumbled as he opened the door for her.

 

She stumbled forward tripping over air, causing her to wrap her arms around his waist, her head on his chest. She laughed pulling herself up his body, using his jacket to steady her. He held her arms to remove them from around his waist.

She pouted her lips and leaned in to kiss him. He pulled away and pointed her towards the taxi. “Go home Laurel” he sighed.

He passed the driver some money and closed the door.

 

Laurel looked out the back window as the taxi drove off, she pulled out her phone from her bag and sent a message _“It's done”._ Oliver hadn't noticed the very small but very powerful microphone she had slipped into his pocket. She also assumed he hadn't stumbled across the other devices scattered around his new apartment.

* * *

 

Oliver opened the door to the apartment, instantly hearing the sound of laughter – it was a sound that had been missing from his life for so long, genuine unabashed laughter. He pushed the door closed quietly behind him, eager to enjoy the sound a little longer without disturbing it.

 

He peeked around the doorway into the kitchen where the laughter was originating from, Felicity and Amelie were busy cooking – he assumed – most of the food appeared to be on the floor.

 

“I don't think that's how Nana does it” Felicity laughed as Amelie ripped apart the red cabbage most of it falling on the floor

“Uh-huh she does” Amelie grinned throwing what didn't fall on the floor into a bowl

 

Felicity caught Oliver out of the corner of her eye and smiled. She washed her hands as he walked in the kitchen.

“Hey, everything okay?” she questioned, noting it had been over 2 hours since he'd left

“Yes, sorry, it took a little longer” he replied, his hand smoothing down the side of his jacket “so what are you guys doing?” he laughed surveying the mess around the kitchen

“Amelie wanted to cook you dinner, only” Felicity paused to study the floor “I can't really cook and well, neither can she” she laughed nodding towards Amelie who pouted her disapproval

“I can, I cook with Nana all the time, this is how she does it Da-” she stopped, her little blue eyes looking up and Oliver intently studying his face

She hopped down from the dining chair she had been using as a stool and padded over to him. Taking his hand she led him, willingly, to a corner of the kitchen and pulled him down to her height, her eyes full of four year old concern.

“Is it okay if I call you..” she paused, her little lips pushed together as though she was trying to solve what was to her the hardest of all dilemmas “can I call you daddy?” she whispered the words shaking as she spoke them

 

Oliver felt a sensation wash over him that was different to anything he had ever felt before – a sense of euphoria that was so complete and so innocent that he wondered how it could even exist given the circumstances of the world around him.

_Daddy_

One word – so much more meaning.

_Daddy_

A perfect word.

He scooped her up into her arms, wrapping them completely around her tiny frame.

“I would love that” he whispered, the special moment between the two of them not unnoticed by Felicity, a heart warming smile forming on her face.

That right there – that was all she ever wanted for Amelie. It was perfect.

* * *

 

Fingers tapped across a keyboard in a dark room of a dark house in a place not too far away. Every word heard including the private moment between a father and a daughter.

It was filed away in the back of a mind a decision made that information like that would prove valuable.

 

Blueprints and specifications neatly laid out on tables around the edge of the room. Pictures covered the wall – old pictures of a young frat boy and a dark haired college girl, new photos of a small blond haired girl walking down the street with an older Hispanic woman and photos of all the times in between, a boat, a suburban house in Vegas, a black Honda. Yes, there were lots of photos, this was a marathon not a sprint.

 

The time wasn't right for any of this though. Not just yet.

* * *

 

It had been a week and Oliver stood lost in thought staring at a rack of suits in his cotton briefs, fresh from his morning shower.

Felicity planted a gentle kiss on the back of his naked shoulder as she wrapped the silk robe around her freshly showered skin.

Oliver responded with a soft sigh and she brushed her body past him reaching for the hairbrush that was on the table to his left.

“They all pretty much look the same” she laughed nodding towards the suits

He pulled himself back to reality, grabbing the grey one from the top rack.

“Back to the office today then?” she smiled running the brush through her damp hair

He kissed her forehead as he slipped his arms into the crisp white shirt and worked his way down the button line.

“I have a few things to take care of there” he answered skating his arms across her body, the knowledge that she was completely naked under that soft silk robe was almost making him second guess his decision to leave.

“You could stay” she grinned stretching up on her toes so her lips floated against his

He heaved a breath, expressing without words the joy that idea gave him.

“I have to go” he droned regretfully “but I'll only be a few hours” his hands danced along the neckline of the robe, just slightly grazing her skin “wear this tonight?” he smiled his eyes giving away what his mind was thinking.

* * *

 

Oliver leaned back in the leather chair that now seemed so foreign to him. The office was the same, the same view of the city, the same PA his father was definitely sleeping with walking past, the same emails waiting for him, the same everything – but somehow it all felt different.

 

“Oliver” Moira almost yelled – a momentary loss of composure she was not normally prone to

“What is this?” she hissed throwing a large stack of papers on his desk

“You should talk to your lawyer about that” Oliver smiled tapping the pile with his index finger “a plaintiff shouldn't really be discussing matters with a defendant” he turned back to his computer and began typing, nothing of any substance – it was just for show.

“You can leave now” he said looking up from behind the screen and pushing the paper back towards her.

 


	19. Paths

“That has to be the biggest book you could find” Oliver laughed as Amelie held out a volume of princess stories

“I want all of them” Amelie smiled, pausing then adding “daddy” with a glint in her eyes

“One, and then bed little miss” Felicity chimed in, turning the light off in the bathroom and stepping into the bedroom.

 

Amelie and Oliver were sitting on Amelie's pink-everything bed, Amelie in her pyjamas and Oliver still in his 3 piece suit. Amelie pouted but accepted the stipulation and opened the book to the story of Ariel “this one then” she grinned “uncle Dig uses a different voice for Sebastian, so you should too” she directed matter-of-factly.

 

Oliver looked up at Felicity – he had no idea who Sebastian was, let alone what kind of voice was required. Felicity, sensing Oliver's confusion leant down to his ear under the guise of switching on the lamp beside the bed.

“Sebastian is like a Jamaican crab” she whispered

 

“Light's out after the story okay muffin butt” Felicity smiled rolling her hands through Amelie's hair

“Night mommy” she smiled brightly as she cuddled down into the pillow and gestured for Oliver to start the story.

“Is this your favourite?” Oliver asked, genuinely wanting to know everything about that little girl.

Amelie thought for a minute like she was answering an essay question “Um, she has the best hair, but Tinkerbell is my favourite, but Tinkerbell's not a princess. Um, what was the question?”

Oliver laughed and began the story, keeping the information about the Jamaican crustacean in the forefront of his mind – he couldn't be outdone by Uncle Dig.

* * *

 

“Is she sleeping?” Felicity asked as Oliver appeared in the doorway of the bedroom

“She fell asleep before Prince Eric could even find out the truth” he sighed shaking his head in jest

 

She smiled as she slid up next to him, her hands poised on his chest.

“You get changed, I'll get the wine” she whispered biting his ear lobe ever so slightly, her body rubbed against his.

 

He nodded his agreement, placing a lingering kiss on her forehead, his hands stroking the curve of her back.

She patted his butt as they parted, her to go downstairs, him in the shower.

* * *

 

Oliver emerged from the shower about 20 minutes later, dressed in lounge pants and a tank, his hair still glistening from the water.

 

Felicity was sat on the edge of the bed, the wine and glasses sat neatly on the floor by her feet, she had a stack of papers in her hand.

 

She looked up as he walked in.

“What is this?” she questioned, quietly aware of the answer

“That” Oliver said calmly “is how we break my mother, I'm suing for half the company, half her and my father's assets and anything else I can claim for emotional distress. She was served with a notice of it today, the rest will come over the course of the week”

“Oliver, you can't” her face grew saddened at the words he spoke

“This is just to scare her, I have everything I need to drag her name through the mud, it'll be a public scandal which she'll never go for, she'll settle out of Court and I'll have everything I need to take care of you and Amelie” he smiled, taking a seat on the bed next to her.

 

“But at what cost Oliver?” Felicity exclaimed standing from the bed “you've put my name all over this, you've put my – _our_ – daughter's name all over this, Moira will destroy the people you brought into this, your family maid, the old head of security, what will happen to them?”

 

“I'll take care of it” Oliver said, flustered at Felicity's resistance to the idea

“Oliver, _this_ isn't right, this isn't the way”

“This is the way I know how to do it. I'm just doing it to scare her, to force her hand to -”

“To do exactly what she would do. Can you not see that Oliver? If you use people for your own gain at their expense, if you manipulate and force people's hands, than how are you are better than her?”

“I am nothing like my mother” Oliver roared

“No, you're not, you're a million times better than her” Felicity cried, her hands resting on either side of his face, her eyes searching his “but if you go through with this, if you file this in Court, then you won't be”

“I thought you of all people would understand” Oliver snapped back

“I understand hating her Oliver, I hate her with so much fibre of my being that it scares me. I'm not suggesting happy families with her, but you are better than her Oliver, that is why I love you, because you're not her”

 

Silence fell between them and although they were physically close there was a distance forming.

“I won't see Amelie a pawn in a game of chess between you and your mother. I won't see you do that to her. If you choose this path Oliver, I, we can't walk it with you” her hand slid down his face swiping a tear away with her thumb.

“You _are_ better than her Oliver, you're better than _this_ ” she whispered dropping the papers on the bed. 

* * *

  

Felicity sat alone in the darkened living room, her feet curled up under her body, her eyes staring out into the litter of lights out the window. She could hear her breath in the silence of the room. She could feel the slight breeze of the air conditioner against her bare arms.

She allowed her eyes to close, her mind focused inwards in the traditional Daoist meditative practice she had studied what seemed like a lifetime ago.

She felt his feet moving on the floor before she heard him. Her eyes opened her heart heavy with where this conversation may lead.

“You're right” he said slowly walking around the back of the chair and taking a seat next to her.

“About what part” she replied tucking her soft flowing hair behind her ear

“Everything” he breathed “and you know it” he smiled slightly

A soft smiled cracked across her face – he wasn't wrong.

“I don't want to do things the way my mother would do them, I've called the lawyers off and I'll tell her tomorrow” he sighed running his hands across his head “but I don't know how else to do this”

Felicity took his hand and rubbed it softly between her palms “I'll stay with you in a trailer park and _our_ daughter will love you regardless of your address. All this” she said looking around “is nothing but dust in the wind, what you and I have, what we can make for ourselves, that's what matters Oliver, _that's_ what defines us”

 

He pulled her into an embrace as she climbed onto his lap. Brushing her hair back he gently kissed her exposed neck and lay his head softly on her chest feeling it rise and fall as she breathed.

 

“How did you get to be so smart” he smiled his hands running up and down her curved thighs

“I did go to MIT remember” she laughed softly, her fingers walking over his shoulders

“Amelie was lucky to have you as a mother”

Felicity breathed deeper – _that wasn't entirely true_

“How did you do it all those years, just by yourself?” Oliver questioned his head still resting against her so he didn't notice her face twitch at the question.

“I had a lot of help, Dig's mum mostly, she's amazing”

 

She could feel herself wanting to tell him so much about the paths her life had taken her – after all there was a lot to tell – but she caught her tongue as the time wasn't right. She would tell him one day, but not right now. Although there was one truth she could part with.

 

“This” she said pulling her tank top away from her left shoulder “is from a bullet, I was shot the day Amelie was born, by my mother's boyfriend” she felt a sense of relief giving him a truth she had told very few people.

 

His mouth was open, his eyes pondering probably 10 different questions, but the doorbell interrupted any hope of asking them.

 

“You should get that” Felicity smiled stepping off his lap, her hand dragging across his leg

He still looked full of questions, but he moved when second bell ring filled the house.

 

Oliver strolled over to the door and after looking in the display panel – which was now finally connected – he opened the door to a smiling Tommy.

 

“Tommy” Oliver smiled, welcoming his friend in

“So how is it, I, your best friend, only just finds out about your instant family?” Tommy grinned “Is it true?”

 

Felicity stepped around the corner, curious of the voice she had heard talking.

Tommy noticed and smiled at Oliver tapping his shoulder in jest “I guess it's true then”

“I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to tell you, we're still trying to work things out” Oliver apologised genuinely – he had been caught up in so much he had neglected to tell his best friend any of it.

“It's okay man, I've been in and out of Starling and hold up with some lovely ladies” he grinned “but I should meet her now yes?”

 

He stepped forward as Felicity walked to meet him.

“Tommy Merlyn” he introduced, his hand outstretched.

“Felicity Smoak” she responded shaking his hand.

“Any friend of Oliver's is a friend of mine” he smiled.

“Do you want to come in for a drink, or a chat?” Oliver asked.

“Na man, I'm good, I just wanted to introduce myself to the lady who has Oliver Queen locked away in a penthouse” he laughed, playfully slapping Oliver's shoulder “also there will be a memorial for dad next week, I was hoping you could make it”.

Oliver nodded empathetically “of course”.

 

He left with a smile and a wave and once again Felicity and Oliver were alone in the house.

 

“What was his name?” Felicity questioned as Oliver wrapped his arm around her shoulders

“Tommy, Tommy Merlyn, he's been my best friend since Laurel and I were kids”

Felicity paused _Tommy Merlyn_ “I never met him did I?”

Oliver thought for a moment, there were still gaps in his memory but he didn't think they had met.

“In 2009, when we met, Tommy was studying overseas, Cambridge University, I think he spent most of his time with his mother in Europe until after his dad died about 3 years ago”

 

“So” Oliver breathed, pulling Felicity into an embrace “you were telling me about that” his fingers gently running across her scarred shoulder.

“How about instead I put that little silk robe you like and we drink wine on the patio of our bedroom?” she smiled, biting her lip “and I promise to wear _nothing_ underneath”

Oliver's face lit up he took her hand into his and led her up the stairs.

She didn't want to talk about the bullet wound right now, something else was playing heavily on her mind, but she'd rather just take the easy path and embrace a moment of careless enjoyment with Oliver.

So that's what they did.

 


	20. Calls

“Daddy!” Amelie screamed in the dead of the night

Oliver sat bolt upright and ready to throw himself out of bed before Felicity, still lying down, caught his arm.

“If it’s a nightmare, you’ll want to go in there quietly” she yawned rubbing her eyes instinctively

Oliver nodded and made his way to the door.

“And Oliver?” Felicity called out after him

“Mmmm?”

“You’ll probably want to put some pants on” she smiled burrowing her head back into the pillow  


He slipped on some pants and made his way to Amelie’s room, he could hear her sobbing inside.

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m here” he spoke soothingly as he slowly walked into the room illuminated only by a small night light.

“I had a bad dream” she sniffed as she sat up in bed clutching Penelope close against her chest

Oliver sat down on the bed beside her “You don’t have to worry about a thing, we got you” he smiled as she snuggled against his arm.

“I had a bad dream that you and mommy left again” she yawned widely

“I’m not going anywhere if you’re not there” he reassured her – although their time together had been short he was telling the truth, a large piece of his heart belonged to that little girl who was a spitting image of him, no test required “and mommy would never be without you”

Amelie yawned again, her little brow furrowing into a dream state, her eyes falling closed “except when mommy went away for all that time, I missed her”

Oliver looked down, unsure if he had heard her right “What do you mean Amelie?” he questioned softly touching her pouting cheek

She yawned again, her eyes closed and her little lips smacked together “you know”  


He didn’t know, perhaps he had heard wrong, or Amelie could be mixing things up, after all she may have been a very smart little girl, but she was still only an almost 5 year old – kids say strange things sometimes.  


He was going to ask Felicity about Amelie’s choice of words, but as he walked back into the bedroom, she was fast asleep, a sheet delicately covering most of her body – apart from her back which was beautifully exposed to him.  
Although he couldn’t see them in the moment, he had studied every inch of her body during their time together, the origin of the marks across her back were still a mystery to him. He couldn’t help but wonder if there was something to what Amelie had said and if it was connected to a time in her life that left those permanent reminders.

He filed away Amelie’s late night words, he would ask Felicity in the morning. However, when the sun rose an early morning passionate rendezvous pushed it from his mind.

* * *

 

Oliver walked briskly down the hall of Queen Consolidated with John following close behind. Without a knock he pushed open the door to Robert’s office where Moira and Robert were engaged in a war of words.

“I see you’re playing happy families” Oliver joked stoically as he kept his hands in his pocket and his back stiffened

“Oliver –“ Moira started

“I have no interest in hearing a word either of you have to say, I’m simply here to tell you I’m withdrawing my claim, I don’t want any part of me to be like any part of either of you. From this point forward you are both dead to me. That said, I also need to give you this” he placed a single sheet of paper on Robert’s desk “effective immediately I tender my resignation from Queen Consolidated”

“Oliver this isn’t necessary” Robert finally spoke up standing up from behind his desk

“I assure you, it is” Oliver responded sharply

“And what will you do?” Moira retorted

“Something that is adherently foreign to you” Oliver paused, his eyes focused on Moira “I’m going to be happy”

* * *

  
Laurel slid into the back seat of the tinted town car.

“You never told me there was a child involved in this” she spoke calmly, her eyes focused on the front of the car

“Would that have made difference Laurel?” the figure beside her questioned with non-existent emotion

“I’m just here for the payment and I’m done with it all”

A laugh.

“You’re done when I say you're done”

Laurel caught the bag of vertigo and pushed it into her bag “I don’t want any more to do with this” she muttered reaching to open the door.

“Don’t forget what I’m perfectly capable of doing Laurel”

Laurel exited the town car, shaken and well aware of the malice meant in those last words or warning.

* * *

 

Felicity arrived home alone after running a few errands. Amelie had asked to spend some time with Rosa, who Felicity could tell she was missing dearly. She had after all being so much more of a mother to Amelie than Felicity felt she herself had been during points in Amalie’s short life.  


“Oliver?” she called into the apartment

No response came, it was a pretty clear indication she was alone.

She dropped her handbag on the entrance table and walked upstairs, she had been working on a couple of things in her spare time – which at this juncture she had more than she cared for, but it was nice to be in front of a keyboard again without anyone’s orders

She took a moment to spin around in the office chair – after all no one was watching and it was fun. As she spun her fingers caught the side of a pen and it dropped to the floor and under the desk.

“Frack” she muttered getting on her hands and knees to retrieve it.

It was there under the desk that something caught her eye, just a quick flicker of a reflection. She reached up and picked up the tiny little object about the size of a jelly bean. It took her only a moment to realise what it was, a tiny little camera, but what was it doing there?

  
Habitually she looked around the room, what would there be to see? She smiled briefly looking at the chair they had made long and slow love on in the corner of the room a few nights back, that would have been a show for the camera, but why?

  
Her first thought went to Moira, but why? There seemed no advantage in it for her? It wouldn’t be Oliver, would it? No, if he wanted to record her, he could have just asked, she probably would have been okay with that. In fact maybe she’d suggest that herself... _Focus Felicity_.

  
She studied the camera closely, it was equipped with a long range signal output, so whoever this was for, they weren’t in the same building.  
She looked around the room again, she was acutely aware it was probably not alone. Sure enough she found another in the bookcase, one in the bedroom, one in the closet and one in Amelie’s room. She didn’t venture downstairs, frankly she didn’t want to know at this juncture.  
She piled them up on her desk, the signals still being sent out, but with the cameras themselves disabled. She would see if she could back trace the signal soon, but first she had a call to make.

* * *

 

Felicity grabbed her phone and pulled out the battery replacing the SIM with one she retrieved from the lining of her handbag. She walked into the bathroom, closed the door and switched on the water. She did a quick look over – there didn't appear to be any bugs in the room.

She sat down on the floor and dialled the only number on the SIM.

“Waller” a female voice answered

“Did you bug my house?” Felicity demanded, a clear dislike in her voice

“Ms Smoak, I'm surprised to hear from you, the last time we spoke you told me to, and I'm paraphrasing _'never fucking call you again unless it was an invitation to dance on my grave'_ but here you are calling me” Amanda Waller responded nonchalantly

“Did you bug my house?”

“We parted ways, I kept my word. No, whatever you have found, it's not us”

Felicity disconnected the call and removed the SIM, she pulled her legs up to her chest and propped her head on her knees her mind a flood of questions.

 

“Felicity are you in there?” Oliver's voice came from outside the door.

 _Shit_ Felicity swiped away a stray tear and responded simply with “Yup”

“I'll join you” he smiled, unbuttoning his shirt and twisting the door handle

Felicity pushed the door shut with her foot “Ah no”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine, I'm just, um grooming” she replied

 _Grooming?_ Of all the things she could have said

“I'm sorry, you're grooming?” Oliver questioned, perplexed

“Uh-Huh” she responded, silently berating her brain for coming up with _Grooming_

Oliver went to say something further but his phone ringing in his pocket took his attention away.

 

“Oliver Queen” he answered

He listened intently as his lawyer rattled off some ins and outs of an offer that had just come in.

Felicity cracked open the door of the bathroom and watched him disappear down the stairs. She scooted out of the bathroom and into the study.

She heard him making his way back up the stairs asking “what does that mean?”

She swiped the cameras and microphones off the desk into a drawer and sat down in the chair as Oliver appeared in the doorway of the office. He looked at her, surprised she was there, given a moment ago she was in the shower.

She smiled and waved timidly at him with one hand – knowing he would have noticed she didn't look in the least bit wet.

 

Less than 5 minutes later he hung up the phone and walked into the office.

“What happened to the shower, uh, grooming?” he smiled down at her in the chair

“Um” she folded her lips onto one another “I changed my mind” she shrugged “Who was on the phone?” she asked changing the subject.

“My lawyer” he paused a look of confusion crossing his face “it seems my parents are offering me the applied sciences division of QC, separated from them” he leant up against the desk beside her

“Oh, and what do you think?” Felicity questioned, running her hands over his arm

“I'm not sure, my lawyer says its a clear cut, no ties back to them, what do you think?” he looked down at her, his eyes genuinely searching for an answer

She _wanted_ to be able to give him a good answer, she _wanted_ to be able to provide some sort of motivation in words, but she had _nothing_ , all she had was a drawer of cameras and no idea why.

“Oliver, I -” she wanted to tell him, she should tell him

She didn't want her life to be about secrets.

“Is everything okay?” Oliver questioned noticing the look cast over her usually bubbly face

She sighed as she opened the drawer and pulled out the small cameras and microphones.

“What are those?”

“Oliver, you should sit down. There's some things I need to tell you”

 


	21. Grey

****November 2010** **

 

Felicity tapped the pen on the desk of the copy shop, she was bored, she was tired and she had no idea what she was doing there. She had arrived in Starling City 11 months ago and it had, in her opinion being 10 months too long, but she had found a family in the Diggles as had Amelie and so, they stayed – for now.

 

“Felicity Smoak?”

Felicity looked up to see an unfamiliar face. He was middle-aged, in his 40s with speckled salt and pepper hair and a distinctly European accent.

“It's Megan, do you need something copied sir?” she asked, indifferent to the answer

“Miss Smoak, my boss has been looking for you, he has a proposition for you” he slid a white card with only a number and a name _Pegasus_ on it.

“I'm not sure what kind of place your _boss_ thinks this is, but I'm not taking any _proposition_ _s_ o you either want something copied, or you can go out the way you came in” she pushed the card back across to him.

“My boss insists you keep this” the card came back across to Felicity

She picked up the card with the intention of throwing it away the instant he left.

The older man turned and headed towards the door.

“You should tell your boss not to hit on young copy shop employees, it's creepy” she muttered to herself, tucking her dark hair behind her ear.

* * *

 

The rest of the day provided no interest or intrigue and come 4pm, Felicity was ready to take the 20 block walk home.

She waved goodbye to the employees left behind, pulled her hair up into a pony tail and started the walk.

She only got 3 blocks before a white van pulled up beside her and three people bundled her inside without anyone blinking an eyelid.

* * *

 

Felicity's head was throbbing and there a residual pain in the side of her neck. She was sitting in a room, her hands tied to the arms of a chair. It was a plain room with three white walls and a mirrored one, a white floor and a simple metal desk in the centre. Two chairs were the only other things in the room, the one she was bound to and one the same on the opposite side of the table.

 

The door opened and a slender woman with beautiful chocolate skin and a power suit to rival all others confidently strode in.

“Felicity Smoak, sorry about the binds” she spoke, without expression on her face as she waved someone in to remove the binds.

Felicity rubbed her wrists as they came free, she wanted to say something, but honestly no words were coming out.

“Ms Smoak, my name is Amanda Waller, I work for an organisation called ARGUS”

“Ok, I work at the Copy Shack, what does that have to do with anything?” Felicity muttered sarcastically

“I understand your confusion, but you were approached by an organisation earlier in the day, Pegasus, so if they want you” she finally slid down into the chair a plain manilla folder in her hands “then it would seem we want you too”

 

“Look, I don’t know what that was about, I threw the card away. This is just stupid” she crossed her arms and sat back in the chair “are you cops?”

“No. This is what they’re after from you” she slid a piece of paper from the folder across the desk.

 

Hesitantly Felicity flicked the paper over and studied it for a minute until a smile fell over her face.

“Are you kidding me? You drag me off the street, taser me and stick me in this room for this?” she shook her head, her finger tapping on the paper in front of her

“You find this amusing?” Amanda replied, folding her hands into each other

“Yes, I fucking do. This is a stupid thesis from college I wrote almost 2 years ago, it has nothing to do with anything”

“You’re aware it could be used to hack and launch a weapons strike anywhere in the world”

“In my defence, that wasn’t the path I started down, but theoretically it could be used to get into on-site secured locations, I don’t know what a weapons munition building looks like, but I _suppose_ it _could_ be, only it _can’t_ because it’s not finished”

“We believe Pegasus thinks you can finish it, we want you to finish it first”

Felicity could feel her eyes rolling, this woman was all sorts of crazy.

“Even if I _wanted_ to, FYI I _don’t_ , I _can’t_ , it was a theory and it doesn’t work. I couldn’t get it to work then, I can’t get it to work now. I’m not sure how many other ways I can say it. It’s defunct, broken, impossible, failed” she pushed the paper back across the table “it won’t work”

 

Amanda’s eyes narrowed “maybe you just need some more motivation. Your daughter, Amelie, she’s Oliver Queen’s daughter”

It took Felicity the willpower of a statue not to scream _fuck_ at that moment, but she stayed dead-eyed with her lips pursed

“So, you’re a friend of Moira’s?”

“Who you chose to sleep with is of no concern to us Ms Smoak, but we like to know everything. Including the paternity of _your_ child, the tests showed up that surprising nugget”

_The tests?_

“I’m sorry, the tests?” Felicity could feel her blood boiling – _they didn’t, they couldn’t?_

“Yes. We did a paternity test on your daughter. We like to have all the facts, no offence but you were in college”

 

Felicity stood up, she was done.

“You can just drop me off where you found me, we’re done” she announced walking towards the no-doubt locked door.

“We don’t seem to be understanding each other Ms Smoak, you have a job to do here”

“I have a daughter to return to”

“That is taken care of, your new adopted family received a phone call from you 10 minutes after you left your job, unfortunately your mother has being in a serious accident and you have had to return home to look after her”

“My mother is dead” Felicity hissed

“Oh, _we’re_ aware of that, however it is curious that you never made your new family aware of that. Now, you should sit back down, there is more to discuss”

* * *

 

Felicity lay on the cot in the stale room that was – for all intents and purposes – a jail cell. She was counting the dots on the ceiling in an attempt to drown out the crazy girl laughing down the hall and the gruff sounding guy that was yelling at the crazy girl to stop.

In the 20 minutes that preceded this moment, Amanda Waller had told Felicity that she was to finish the code and hand it over to this other organisation _Pegasus_ in an attempt to lure out the person behind it. She didn’t offer any ideas or any reason why Felicity should, nothing but veiled threats that if she didn’t then she would stay down here – with the crazy laughing girl and the angry guy – until she changed her mind.

Only, she had meant what she said – that code wasn’t able to be completed. She had come across the same problem she did at Oliver’s house – there was something missing. It had played on her mind even after everything but she never found a way to complete it. It was impossible.

 

She heard the clink as the large metal door rolled back. She didn’t bother looking, she was up to 145 dots and she didn’t want to lose count.

“Felicity?” a different, softer, female voice questioned

Still she didn’t bother to respond.

“My name is Lyla Michaels and I’m here to help you”

Felicity sat up and removed a bunch of hair from her mouth that she had been idly chewing on.

“You made me lose count of the dots” she said sarcastically nodding towards the ceiling

She caught the woman’s face and realised there was something strikingly familiar about it.

“Have we met before?” Felicity asked, something was very familiar about this woman

“Not as such, but I was John Diggle’s ex-wife, I assume Rosa still may have a photo or two of me around”

 

Felicity’s mind jumped to the photo in the frame on the side table next to Rosa’s favourite chair that got the afternoon sun. The photo of John with the woman standing in front of Felicity now.

“So, what can I tell you that I haven’t already told Waller upstairs?” Felicity sighed, lying back down

“Probably nothing” Lyla sat on the edge of the bed near her feet “she seems to think that you can do what she’s asking you to though”

“I’m not a child that needs a pep talk, I’m just a person in your prison who wants to get out of here” Felicity almost yelled sitting upright “aren’t you guys supposed to be the good guys?”

“In this world, there are no good or bad guys, there are simply different shades of grey and right now, this shade of grey is trying to stop one from setting off world war three”

“I just want to go home” Felicity sighed, unable to hold the bravado up any more

“Yea, I’m real sorry about that. I don’t think Amanda is doing herself any favours by keeping you here – you just have to give her some hope you know?”

Felicity thought about the proposition for a moment.

“Alright, she gives me a set up somewhere near my house, I’ll go there every day and try and figure this out, but at night I go home to my child. You pay the bills. Fair?”

Lyla stretched out her hand “I think that seems pretty fair, although you know she’s going to want me there with you”

“As my babysitter?”

“Of sorts”

* * *

 

****Present Day** **

****(December 2014)** **

 

Felicity sat wide eyed staring at Oliver. During the whole retelling he hadn’t said a single word, he just sat there, across the table from her with his hands laid neatly out in front of him. Not a word, not a movement.

There was more, much more, but it was things she hadn’t told people before and to be honest, it was things she buried so far down inside her she was almost afraid to bring them up.

Finally his eyes caught hers

“So, the cameras come from this ARGUS place?”

Felicity shook her head “they say it’s not them”

“You still speak to them?” his eyebrow raised

Felicity shifted anxiously in her chair “No, yes, not really” she bumbled “I mean I did, today, but that was the first time since – “ she stopped herself

“Since?”

“Since the other stuff, which I’m getting to” she sighed, taking a deep heavy breath. _The other stuff_ _._ Oh yes, the other stuff was much worse than this.

“What about the other guy, the Pegasus one, could this be him?”

Her mouth twitched and her fingers stiffened against the table. _Different shades of grey_ _._

“No”

“Are you sure, how do you know?”

“I just know”

“How?” he was getting pushy, unwilling to wait for a full explanation

“Oliver, please”

“If _my daughter_ is at risk, then I have a right to know”

Felicity could feel the words coming up, but she couldn’t stop them - “Because I shot him in the head, people don’t just come back from that”

 

She saw the moment his heart flickered off cycle. She saw the moment he looked at her as a completely different person. She saw the moment he was about to walk away.

Both Oliver and Felicity were painfully aware you could hear a pin drop in the silence between them, but still neither had a word to say.

All Oliver could think about was what had turned the person before him into someone who could – and did – take someone’s life. He had filled their years apart with thoughts of her working and raising Amelie. He once imagined her as the effervescent brunette from college with that sassy spark for life and a resilience to darkness. He realised now that was a naive notion. Darkness had touched her and she carried the proof.

  
Felicity swallowed the lump in her throat, she couldn’t look at him. She remembered the blood spilling onto the dirty concrete floor, remembered the smell of the gun powder, remembered the recoil on the pistol that she had been prepared for and she remembered how given the choice again – she would still be sitting here with those memories and blood on her hands. The choice would have been the same, it was that deep seated conclusion that scared her the most.

  
She wasn’t sure he was ready to hear more, but she picked up where she left off.

* * *

 

**Late November 2010  
**

It had been 10 days since she was taken off the street, Waller had insisted that she stay on to maintain the cover. Felicity had spoken to Rosa during this time, precipitating the lie about her mother, who had unfortunately died at the hospital in this tale. Felicity had been putting her affairs in order and would return soon. She wasn’t eager to continue the lie, but it was better this way, it was as close to the truth as she could tell them.

Amanda had insisted on implanting a tracker and offering a host of unveiled threats should Felicity attempt to evade them. She was promptly dropped off in front of the apartment, wondering what she had just agreed to.

* * *

 

**January 2011**

 

Felicity's pen went flying across the room as she as she squashed her hands into her face and dropped her head onto the desk in a fit of frustration.

“So it's going well then?” Lyla smirked as she continued sparing with the wooden practice dummy.

“It's not possible” she muttered gently knocking her head on the desk

“We'll if you keep doing that, maybe not” Lyla laughed

 

Felicity groaned, she had tried everything she could think of and met a wall every single time.

“So, did John ever teach you some moves?” Lyla asked, trying to provide Felicity with some long overdue distraction.

“A couple of things” Felicity shrugged, she had a pretty good swing thanks for him

“See, the problem with John is, he forgets most of the people you'll come up against will be bigger than you by at least half” she waved Felicity over to the corner of the basement office ARGUS had set up.

 

With a heavy sigh Felicity wandered over.

Lyla position her in front of the wooden dummy “plant you feet, you need a strong foundation” she instructed “training in Wing Chun will serve you well, using your opponents size and strength against them”

 

Felicity nodded, time away from that computer screen was a welcomed relief, as was punching something.

“Have you ever held a gun?” Lyla questioned as she showed a few moves on the dummy for Felicity to follow.

Felicity shook her head as she shadowed the moves Lyla had just completed.

“Seeing as we're spending so much time together maybe you could learn that too” she smiled with a glint in her eyes.

* * *

 

**October 2011**

 

Felicity eyed the target ahead of her, her feet planted shoulder width apart with her knees slightly bent. She breathed in, squeezed the trigger and followed though. The bullet ripped through the target dead centre of the forehead.

“I have never seen someone so determined to hit the head each and every time. You have some pent up anger” Lyla laughed emptying the gun.

Their time together had become more of a partnership, Lyla had taught her Wing Chun and weapons' training. Felicity taught her how to count cards and rewire her cable to get unlocked the pay channels. It had started as a working arrangement, but over the course of the months spent holed up each _work_ day in the cave – as Felicity was prone to calling it, it developed into that partnership and even friendship.

 

The computer in the background made a sound that caught Felicity's attention immediately. She skidded over to the desk and looked around the monitors. It had worked. She had tried something that was far fetched and slightly ludicrous, but it had worked. She was staring at the inside of computer system she never thought she would get in to.

“Shit” she breathe

Lyla appeared behind her “what does that mean?”

“It means it's done. The programme is done”

* * *

 

**Present Day**

**(December 2014)**

 

Oliver stood up for the first time and rubbed his hands across his head. There was a lot to take in, a lot of thoughts bounced around in his head.

He looked down at Felicity and while he realised there was a lot he didn't know about her, there was one thing he did know and it was something that needed to be said.

His hand skimmed her chin, pulling her face up to look at him. He leant down and gently kissed her lips melting into her as he felt another layer of her wall come down.

The kiss lingered as neither wanted to break away. In that kiss she felt forgiveness. In that kiss he felt truth.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I now have plans to cry in the corner over the fake olicity wedding photos. There will be no update until Thursday. 
> 
> Join me on Twitter for wine and olicity hugs to get through this painful time.


	22. Listen

**2 December 2011**

 

“Are you ready for this?” Lyla asked a wave of guilt washing over her for asking Felicity to venture into a world it was best she avoided

“And if I’m not?” Felicity questioned, pulling her dark hair off her face “it’s not going to change the outcome, is it?”

They both knew she was right. Waller had put them on this path and neither was capable of not seeing it through. So there they stood, in anxious silence about to meet with a man known only by the code name Pegasus and basically hand him the key to instigating a world war.

 

“What’s that?” Lyla questioned pointing down to the writing on the side of the flashdrive Felicity was holding tightly in her delicate and shaking hands.

Felicity smiled as she looked down “It says _Overwatch_ , I gave my programme a code name”

They shared a smile as the van pulled to a stop in the dark back alley of some nowhere place in The Glades.

“Once we have a verified ID on Pegasus, ARGUS will strike and pull us out, okay?” Lyla instructed, checking the bullets in her gun and maintaining eye contact with her friend.

Felicity nodded, tucking the flashdrive into her bra, her mind wandering back to thoughts Amelie and a sudden heavy heart that she might not return to her.

 

They had made contact with Pegasus two days earlier. The shadowed figure on the video link had insisted on proof that the back door to secured networks – that being the basis of Felicity’s code – did in fact work. Hesitantly Felicity shut down the power to 15 blocks and sent two armoured trucks that run on a private GSP system through a burger drive through and sent him the video uplink. This was proof enough for him to arrange a face to face meeting. He had sent her coordinates and as Lyla and Felicity stepped out of the van, they were a block away from those coordinates.

 

They walked the distance as friends going into a fight that at least one of them wasn’t going to come out of the same.

“If this turns bad, get out okay?” Lyla said quietly into Felicity’s ear, acutely aware there was a black SUV tailing them now “If Waller gets a shot, she will take it and blow the entire place up, with or without us in it. So you get out if it turns bad and you take you baby and you get the hell out of this city”

Felicity swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. She was scared, this was beyond her expertise, her knowledge and her realm of comfort – but she was here nevertheless and it is that quality that separates those who think themselves fighters and those who are.

The SUV swooped in on them as expected, they were bound and their heads covered – Felicity imagined herself retelling the story as not the first time that had happened to her.

 

They drove what seemed like a considerable distance until the sound underneath the tires changed to the rumble of gravel being pushed to either side. The car slowed and within a short distance came to a complete stop. The scuffing of boots could be heard outside the doors, then opening and closing of doors and muffled voices until finally the door next to them opened and they were shuffled out.

It was a short walk on the loose gravel underfoot until they were shuffled inside, down a flight of stairs, into another room and then – finally, the restraints and the face coverings were removed. The air was damp, musty – Felicity decided it smelt much like the basement they had spent months in, so it was likely they were also underground.

The heavily armed guards with scowls in their eyes and dirt in their stubble searched Felicity and Lyla and – as expected – confiscated the only gun Lyla was carrying.

 

Moments later a second door to the right of them opened up and a flood of fluorescent lights flickered on.

“Shall we go inside?” a male voice spoke from the left of them

Felicity turned, her face directly engaged with his. She had only seen a shadow before and only heard a muffled voice, but she was certain, so certain she would stake money on it, the man standing next to her, a good two feet taller than her, was the man known to her only as Pegasus.

The man with the almost kind face, dark brows and dark hair ushered them inside the room. Lyla was cautious of showing recognition on her face of the identity of the man who stood before them. She was aware that a flicker of that recognition would give away that she knew more than she should and that would put both her and Felicity in grave danger. He recognition came only from a photo in a file, thankfully judging by his demeanour he did not have a file on her.

 

Felicity looked around the flood-lit room. Schematics lined the walls, blueprints neatly laid out on polished metal tables. Glass dividers around the room were used as whiteboards with numbers and broken sentences written in green marker.

A computer set up that rivalled her own basement set up sat directly in front of her, one monitor flickering and tracking something from a satellite, another larger one showing real-time images of army bases around the globe.

 

A glass cabinet to one side housed guns of varying sizes, another the same size held tech gadgets that Felicity instantly wanted to touch.

They stopped in front of another computer set up with a simple white chair in front of the desk.

“Once you upload the programme to my system, the money will be sent to the various accounts you requested and you will be dropped off back in town”.

He spoke calmly and did not offer any introduction or insight into what he intended with the programme, although it would not take someone of Felicity’s IQ to garner from the contents of the room what he wanted was nothing good.

 

He ushered her onto the chair in front of the terminal. Felicity glanced back at Lyla as she pushed the signal on her wrist watch – confirmation to ARGUS that they had the person they were after and to converge on the location.

Felicity realised she was holding her breath, waiting for the sound of helicopters overhead, but seconds passed, nothing, a minute – nothing. Lyla’s face was deadpan, but Felicity noticed just a flicker cross it – _something was wrong_.

An armed guard came in and spoke in a whisper to Pegasus. Who, at the news, smirked and nodded.

 

“Did you really think we would let you send any sort of signal out of the building?” He smiled taking two steps towards Lyla “there is a net over my complete estate, so I take it you work for ARGUS” he was an inch from Lyla’s face. She didn’t flinch.

He took a gun from his hip holster and held it at her temple “I’ll ask you again, are you from ARGUS?”

Still, not a flinch.

He raised his hand and cracked the butt of the gun against the side of her face sending her crumpling to the ground, although still conscious. He turned the gun to Felicity as she instinctively ran to Lyla’s aid.

“You will get back on that chair and give me what I want and you _may_ leave with your life” he snapped, the line across his brow becoming increasingly prominent

Felicity raised her hands, took a breath and a quick glance around the room, he couldn’t have the programme, regardless of the personal cost to her.

“No” she said, more softly than she was intending

“Excused me?” he roared, the gun now an inch from her head

“No” her voice was stronger this time as she stood from the ground

An inappropriate smile passed over his face, he was enjoying this. He moved the gun away from Felicity causing an unintentional gasp to pass her lips until she realised it was now pointed at Lyla.

 

“Perhaps you will for your friend then” he smirked

Lyla spat, blood pooling in her mouth “Felicity, you know what I told you”

 _If this turns bad, get out_.

Felicity knew what she meant and when she caught the glimpse of a nod towards the door she knew it was time for them to go.

 

With the strength Lyla had left her leg made contact with Pegasus, knocking him backwards, Felicity shoved him centre mass sending him crashing over the table behind him. Felicity stretched out her hand and helped Lyla to her feet.

 

“Run, and don't look back” Lyla exclaimed as the noise of the crash drew in a crowd of armed guards.

Automatic rifle rounds echoed off surfaces around her as Felicity ran for cover. A hail of bullets and stamping feet. Everything Lyla had taught her during their time together came flooding back like a memory recall.

The heel of her foot came swiftly against the first chest. His balance was lost. He tripped, his finger on the trigger spilling a rain of bullets into the ceiling.

Her arm twisted his neck, his pulse hard against her forearm. His hand released the gun as he grasped for air. Her foot beat down on a knee cap, cracking the bone below.

A second gun near her. Her hands wrapped around it, using it for leverage as her left leg spun around and caught the jaw of the other.

She had not fired an automatic weapon before so the recall was more than she expected, but she held her ground as she fired at the group, sending those trying to funnel towards her into a moment of duck and cover.

She ran for the exit as fast as her feet could carry her. She rushed the one guard, using her acceleration to propel him backwards into the one behind him. The heel of her hand met his nose, likely breaking it as her leg went for the cheap groin kick to the second. He folded like an accordion.

She went to keep running, the stairs outside not far now. For the first time she noticed Lyla wasn't behind her. Lyla hadn't followed.

 

Without thinking she raced back towards the last place she'd see her. She didn't see him standing there, but she felt the crack of the pole against her ribs, instantly winding her and sending her flying backwards into the two glass cases. Glass shattered underneath her weight, she would have screamed if there was air in her lungs, but her cry was silent as the shards cut her lower back like butter.

She could see Lyla standing next to the man who had started this all. His face was grim, his gun up against her. The pain Felicity felt was intense, she could feel the blood staining her clothes. She had no breath, no words. But she could feel something with the very tip of her fingers. Something hard, cold, metal.

“Now, I'll kill her first and then you and then take your programme and install it myself.

Felicity's fingers couldn't reach any further, but her body was stiff. She saw Amelie's face – she wouldn't leave her, not like this, not without her knowing who her father was. She deserved that truth.

_She had it_

The strength some talk about as super human in certain circumstances was a strange concept for Felicity's analytical mind, but there in that moment, the nerves in her back numb with pain, she felt it. A split second made all the difference, the gun in her hands, the target in her sight, the ease of the trigger – it all ran in slow motion, but with two cracks of the gun, he fell – a river of blood streaming from his head.

Then Felicity finally breathed.

 

Lyla stumbled to Felicity's side.

“I have never being more thankful for your love of those head shots” she helped Felicity to her feet “you need to get out of here”

“Not before we destroy all of this place. With or without my programme, this is a dangerously close plan he has”

“Felicity we have to leave” Lyla urged, neither of them to fight a round two

 

Felicity stumbled to the computer terminal her body now numb to the pain. She ran a few commands at a speed that was beyond impressive. Alarms went off in the distance – she had set them off to draw a crowd to the other end of the complex.

She tapped out another few commands as Lyla kicked a gas pipe from the wall.

“Time to go now” she said, filling canister with an alcoholic cleaning solution and a chunk of fabric she ripped from her top.

Felicity stumbled towards the door, her legs not responding the way they once did, as Lyla lit the fabric in the doorway. Felicity looked down at the dead man, his eyes were open, his expression frozen and she knew she would never forget that face.

 

Together they reached the top of the stairs the smell of gas a strong and pungent one. They made it 3 metres out of the doorway before the flame met with the flammable solution which sparked the gas and blew the place apart throwing their bodies to the gravel drive.

They picked their damaged bodies slowly off the ground, their arms support each other as the flames licked the building in front of them.

“Waller is going to want that programme” Lyla sighed holding her palm against her bleeding forehead

Felicity took the flashdrive into her hands, rolling it between her fingers. Lyla gave a knowing nod and Felicity snapped it like a toothpick. No one was going to get their hands on it, not any shade of grey.

* * *

 

**Present Day**

**(December 2014)**

 

 _So that was it._ That was the end of Felicity's story and Oliver had sat in the afternoon breeze and listened to it all.

“Did you know him?” Oliver finally spoke

Felicity shook her head, in the back of her mind she had thought ARGUS probably knew, but she didn't want a name to put with the face that would never leave her memory.

“And the programme?”

Felicity breathed, the truth providing a release she had been holding on to for so long.

“I knew Waller wouldn't let me leave unless I gave her something, I gave her a replica of sorts, on the surface it looked the same but if she ever entered the code to use it it would send videos of laughing goats to everything with a screen linked to the network and alert every government department and major news organisation across the globe” a flicker of a smile passed across Felicity's face – she was just a little proud of the laughing goats.

 

“Is that how you got the scars on your back?”

Felicity bit her lip and nodded slowly, her eyes welling at the memory. She had spent a month in hospital healing from those wounds. When her fingers dared to trace over them she would remember the life she took and the part of her that actions changed forever. She changed her hair colour and went on a country wide bender to try and escape that memory, leaving her daughter for 6 months. She came back to a child that barely knew her and it took a lot to repair that bond.

“And everything was destroyed?” Oliver was trying to think this through

Felicity nodded, she had seen the embers and rubble – nothing was left.

 

Only she couldn't have known about the safe, damaged but still holding a stack of thoughts and notes scribbled on crisp paper and a photo. A simple photo of a distant smiling dark haired girl in black clothing in a lush green park holding the hand of a familiar face – _Oliver Queen._

* * *

 

**Present Day**

**(2 December 2014 @ 11:50pm)**

 

Laurel wasn’t asleep as she lay naked next to him, her head still foggy from the vertigo she had indulged in for the hours beforehand. Her heart was strained, not as a result of the drugs seeping through her system, but because of the guilt that was tracing a course through her veins.

She had done many a thing she wasn’t proud of, all under the pretext of living the life she wanted, but lying in the cold bed with nothing real to hold on to she realised that she had the life she deserved – a life devoid of real love.

She had sold out on that concept years ago in high school the first time Oliver’s eyes wandered and she returned the favour by sleeping with his best friend, a secret that was still intact even this far down the line. The time Oliver had left her and moved on with Felicity – the quintessential opposite to Laurel – she knew she had lost him, not just in body but in soul. So she let hers die a little more by bedding Robert Queen. It was this action which set her on a path she couldn’t side step.

 

Moira had found them together, in a very compromising situation, which meant one thing – Laurel owed her a favour that would be called upon. That time came faster than Laurel was expecting when she was handed a bag of drugs and told what to do with them.

She hadn’t felt even a scratch of guilt back then as she carefully used her knowledge as Police Officer’s daughter to set the scene perfectly. She didn’t feel a scratch of guilt when she made the call to report it and she certainly didn’t feel any guilt when she watched, from just the right distance, Felicity get arrested.

 

No, she had not felt guilty for any of those actions in fact, being truthful to herself in the moment now, she remembered smiling about it.

But she hadn’t known about the baby, perhaps if she had she wouldn’t have taken Moira’s offer. Not alone, but lonely in the dark room right now she liked to think that had she have known she would have done the right thing.

 

Now she was empty. Now she was sorry.

She slipped out of bed careful not to wake the one sleeping next to her. Wrapping a robe around her she left the bedroom with barely a sound.

She saw the bottle of vodka atop the stone bench top. Taking it in one hand she unscrewed the top and gulped down at least a double shot. Catching her reflection in the mirror across the room she saw the empty shell she had become, propped up only with drugs and whatever alcohol she could get her hands – regardless of the price her soul paid.

 _Unless_. The phone caught her attention, _maybe she could find redemption_.

Looking around the deathly quiet room she picked up the cordless handset and crept out onto the patio of her 15th floor apartment. She hugged the gown closer to her body, it was colder out here than she had expected it would be. She slid the door closed behind her and stared out across the city _maybe there was a chance for her soul to be redeemed._

 

She dialled and listened to the ringing tone.

Oliver heard his phone ringing, dragging him out of a slumber. Felicity muttered nonsense as he rummaged around in the dark for his phone. He caught a glimpse of the time on the lit up clock beside him, 11:58pm.

“Hello?” he croaked

“Ollie?” a voice barely above a whisper

“Laurel? Why are you –“

“Ollie, I’m sorry for everything, everything I did, everything I helped people do, I just” he could hear the slightly slurred tones in her voice

“Laurel, it’s almost midnight” he sighed, assuming it a drunk dial

“You need to take Felicity and your daughter and leave town” her voice was firmer now “You need to go, he’s –“ there was a pause, he could hear her breathing

“Laurel?”

“Oh god, I think he’s up” a whisper now, barely louder than a breath “Just leave”

 

The phone disconnected.

In his hazed dream state, Oliver continued to assume it was nothing more than an ex-girlfriend drunk dialling him.

 

Her body hit the car parked on the street below at 11:59pm. She had passed out around the 7th storey and didn’t see the ground coming. She lay on the car like a broken doll, her arms gracefully outstretched as though she had tried to fly.

 

The Police would later find a message written in lipstick on her mirror _“I’m sorry, I can be a free bird now”_ and with the large amounts of alcohol and drugs in her system all visible signs pointed to suicide.

* * *

  
**Present Day**

**(4 December 2014)**

 

For the past two days Felicity had tried back tracing the signal from the cameras but they bounced a couple of different directions and then dropped. The time span on them was limited and the connection had just basically committed suicide. It made no sense, why go through the trouble of planting cameras when they were only to transmit for a set amount of time.

Oliver had called in a team to sweep the house for any others. They were scattered around the living areas and the kitchen, they also found the one in Oliver’s jacket pocket – which again to Felicity’s analytical mind – made no sense.

And then, as quickly as the menace had entered their fledging life together it disappeared. It was almost as though it had been instigated for one purpose and that purpose was complete.

 

“I'm going to take Amelie to her pre-school, the swing by the Lance's house” Oliver sighed, his brow heavy, his eyes worried. He hadn't slept much in the last two days, a part of him felt immeasurable guilt for Laurel's death – perhaps he should have tried to talk to her, perhaps he should have paid more attention to the words she was saying, only what she had been saying didn't make any sense. _Take your daughter and leave._

Oliver planted a small kiss on the back of Felicity's forehead, her attention fully on the puzzle ahead of her.

That puzzle had bothered Felicity as did Oliver’s guarded demeanour around her. She had told him things that most people wouldn’t hear in a lifetime. She understood the distance that he was starting to put between them, but it didn’t make it hurt any less.

_What she had told him_

The thought played around in her head – what if that was the point of all of this, to tell _him_.

Her mind ticked through a million different possibilities:

 _Where had they spoken?_ Outside, on the table with the doors to inside closed

 _Why?_ Because it wasn’t safe to talk inside.

 _Why?_ Because of the bugs. _The bugs had forced them outside_

 _Was that relevant?_ No, she had checked the area outside and bugs that small would hear nothing over the ambient noise, that’s why she chose outside.

 _The bugs were too small to hear anything outside if there were any out there_.

 _Unless_.

She raced outside and pulled a wicker chair up to the railing and holding on to the thin steel bar she leant half her body over the railing like rag doll. It took only a second to see it. A high-powered listening device, fired from a distance into the stucco of the building directly underneath where they had been speaking.

Everything was done to push them out there so that someone – someone close by – could listen on a larger device to hear _every single word._

* * *

 

“Daddy, can I please have Tinkerbell come to my party?” Amelie smiled up at Oliver, her little hand slipped into the pocket of his green zip up hoodie

Oliver smiled down at her with wonderment. It was her 5th birthday soon and he had practically begged Felicity to let him handle the whole thing – much to Amelie's sheer delight. However in the last two days she had requested 2 different princesses, Batman, Superman, a pony called Applejack and now Tinkerbell.

 

They walked down the road, her hand still snuggly in his pocket and her tiny pink backpack slung over his shoulder.

“Oliver” a voice called out behind him

Oliver turned his head as Tommy came up the side of him

“Where are you off to? And who is that cutie?” Tommy smiled his hand resting on Oliver's shoulder

“Tommy, this is my daughter, Amelie. Amelie this is daddy's oldest friend, Tommy”

Amelie smiled and waved the smallest of waves, her body hiding behind Oliver's leg.

“We're going to preschool” Oliver laughed as he tapped the pink backpack

“I'll walk with you, I'm heading this way”

* * *

 

 

Felicity wandered through the kitchen, still questioning the reasons why someone would need to hear what she told Oliver. Her hands wrapped tightly around a coffee cup filled to the brim.

It was only out of the corner of her eye she noticed the TV on, she walked through the foyer and as she got closer to the lounge she saw it. The face she would never forget. The face of the man she shot. The face of the man that was etched into a permanent memory.

It was a news story on a memorial planned for him – and then she saw it, a name. The cup fell from her hands smashing on the titled floor, the dark roast coffee spilling across the white background.

_And she knew._

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see what I did there?? ;)
> 
> Final chapter coming when I decide you really, really *NEEEEED* it.


	23. Trumped

****_Malcolm Merlyn_ there was finally a name to the face she remembered so well. It had taken her seconds to find what she suspected, Tommy Merlyn was his son. Oliver's best friend was the son of the man she had killed.

 

“Pick up Oliver” she muttered down the phone as she listened to the ringing tone coming back at her.

She hung up and tried again. _Pick up._

* * *

 

“Well this is me” Tommy smiled stopping outside a building on the walk back to Oliver's apartment. “It would be great if you could come” he said handing Oliver a programme for the memorial tomorrow night

Oliver nodded taking the programme “of course man”

Oliver was heading back to the apartment after dropping Amelie off, he realised he had left his wallet and phone at home so he would collect those before going to the Lance's house to offer his personal condolences. He had heard Sara had flown in and it had been years since he had seen her.

 

The two friends waved their goodbye and Oliver continued on his way – about another 20 blocks.

He never looked back to notice that Tommy never went inside the building they had stopped outside of, rather he walked back the way they had come – back towards Amelie's preschool.

Oliver closed the door to the apartment behind him and picked up the phone from the place he'd left it. His eyes locked on the the shattered mug and coffee stain in front of him.

“Felicity?!” he spoke as he hurried to the lounge

They almost ran into each other, the concern on his face mimicking the sheer horror on hers.

“Oliver” she breathed, her face white with fear

“What's wrong, what happened?” Oliver couldn't read her face, but she was scared – this was more than spilt coffee

Felicity's heart was racing, she knew the words she had to say but it was like she couldn't find the words.

His hands went to the aid of her shaking ones, slipping the programme under his arm where her eyes saw it.

“Oliver” a breath “it's him” her voice was broken her finger pointing at the programme under his arm.

Oliver pulled it out “Tommy's father's memorial”

“Oliver” she tried to find the words, find her breath, make him understand “Oliver, Malcolm Merlyn is the man I killed”

 

Oliver's brow pulled inward, his eyes twitching as his brain struggled to filter the information it had just received.

“Tommy's father?” he whispered into the air

“I think the bugs came from him, to force my hand into telling you what happened, Oliver there was a larger device outside. Whoever put it there heard _everything_ ”

 

 _Everything._ It was Felicity who created the programme and it was Felicity who puled the trigger.

Oliver's brain was running overtime, he had first met Felicity in that casino because Tommy had taken him there. He saw her again when Tommy had taken them to Big Belly.

If it weren't for Tommy, Oliver never would have found Felicity and his daughter. _His daughter._

 _His daughter_ who Tommy and Oliver had just walked to preschool. The cogs in his head stopped on a thought that made him turn pale.

_Amelie._

* * *

 

“I'm sorry Mr Queen, your friend came back 10 minutes later and said you had a family emergency, we didn't - “

Oliver had a million different words he wanted to say to the person on the phone, but none of them would do anything to find where Amelie was.

He hung up the phone the look on Felicity's face was like a stab through his heart.

“Oliver, no?” Felicity cried her breath laboured as her legs gave way and she crumbled to the floor “No? Please no” she closed her eyes pushing the tears through.

 

There was not a word he could say.

Tommy had Amelie.

His faced could not hide the all encompassing fear that thought gave him.

 

The phone still in his hands sprung to life. He looked down at the screen – it was Tommy.

“Tommy, where the fuck is my daughter?” Oliver yelled down the phone as he put the call on speaker

“Good, you're up on the play Oliver. Now, let's have a sit down and chat. Tell you girlfriend to come back to the place where she murdered my father. If you bring anyone else, I will shoot your daughter, I couldn't be more clear about that point Oliver”

The phone went dead.

“I don't know where we were Oliver” Felicity cried, her whole body trembling

“I do” Oliver responded his eyes locked on her.

Her description of the compound made sense, the gravel drive, the large estate and house surrounded by trees – all of it reduced to rubble. He had known that house, it was not far from his own. It was the house Tommy had grown up in.

* * *

 

Oliver stopped the car in front of the excavated land that was once the foundation of the grand Merlyn house. The trees had grown taller, covering the drive in a damp shade. Parts of the house still stood, but it had never been rebuilt.

Oliver remembered the story he was told, there had been a gas leak and an explosion. Malcolm Merlyn had died in a tragic accident they called it.

Tommy was leaning against a limousine, a gun in his hands and Amelie crying in front of him, pulled close against his legs.

 

Oliver ran towards the pair but was stopped by two of the at least 10 armed guards he could see. Felicity ran beside him, her eyes locked solely on her little girl. She managed a smile in hopes it would calm Amelie and mouthed the words “it's okay baby, I love you” to her.

 

Amelie's little head nodded, her blond hair stuck to her face in the tears as she pointed to her eye, her heart and then her mother. _I love you._

“Felicity, you don't know how long I have been looking for you” Tommy sighed as he pushed Amelie into the hands of a guard and took a step towards her.

“So this place” he grinned his arms spread open, his head turning to survey the land “it must bring back some fun memories for you?”

“You want me, I'm here, just let my daughter go, let Oliver take her and leave” Felicity said calmly taking a step forward, now mere feet from Tommy “Just let them leave”

“No, I'm not going to do that” he was still grinning “If I wanted you dead, you would already _be_ dead, I could have done that ages ago. No my plans for you don't involve your death _right now_ ”

“Then what do you want?” she spoke tersely, her fist clenching

“I want what my father wanted from you, and that's what's in here” he pushed his finger against her forehead

 

Oliver leapt forward to smack his hand away from Felicity causing all guns to point toward him.

“Don't you lay a finger on her”

“Calm down Oliver, I won't sleep with _this_ girlfriend, I promise. Although, I must say, you did good, it's a shame I couldn't have had that chance when you met in college” he licked his lips slowly, every mannerisms he did was almost a mirror image to those Felicity had witnessed Pegasus, _Malcolm,_ do.

She had so many questions.

“How did you find me?” she started her eyes blinking upwards towards him

“I know you thought you destroyed everything, but my father loved his little hidey-holes. It took me a long time to find this one, but almost a year after _you_ killed him, I found it. His plan, his ideas and this” he removed a photo from the pocket inside his suit jacket.

 

“I'm sure you can understand my confusion, why did my father have a picture of my best friend and a girl that was not Laurel” he sighed, rolling his hand over the barrel of the gun “it took me a _long_ time and a lot of reading, but his notes referred to a girl, you, he had been trying to find you, so _you_ ” he leaned in, inches from his face, a guard holding Oliver back as he struggled to put himself between Tommy and Felicity “ _you_ must have been important”

“I thought maybe Laurel might know you, but the best she could give me was that your name sounded like something you would call a cat and you had bad taste in shoes” he laughed “she did _not_ like you but her brain was _fucked up_ with drugs, so she wasn't much help”

“Side point Oliver, how is it you didn't notice what a raving junkie your girlfriend was for _years_ , I am surprised that she didn't lose her job. I guess it helped she was sleeping with the boss”

Oliver cringed.

Tommy laughed a full hefty laugh “oh, you think I mean you, oh, no, fun fact, she was sleeping with Robert” he paused “and me, before I pushed her off the patio. Such a waste” he shook his head in mock regret.

 

“Anyway, back to it. I could have asked Oliver who you were, but he'd want to know why, blah blah blah, Oliver always needing a reason for things. I couldn't ask your mother – wow, Laurel told me about the arrest – that is _messed up_. I followed your old trail to Vegas but you'd already moved on” he paused again, kicking gravel under his feet “also, another fun fact, I think maybe my father had your mother killed to force you to seek out the only other person in your life – Oliver”

Felicity felt the vomit raise into her throat, she had never understood why she wasn't killed that day – it made sense.

“But, you foiled me again” Tommy snapped, his jovial demeanour giving way to a more angry one “you removed your name off everything in Vegas, you deleted your criminal history, the name on the car you leased, everything – why?”

Felicity had not known the time she'd given herself in doing that, it was merely a cleansing to her, she didn't want ties back to a place that held nothing for her.

She stared Tommy down, he would get no answer from her regardless of his question.

“Fine, don't answer. I was left with only one other option, I would hope you cared enough about Oliver here to maybe attend his funeral” a smirk drew across his face

“You sunk the boat” Oliver realised, his heart beating heavy in his chest, his blood raging through his body “You killed Thea”

“Yes, I thought maybe a funeral might bring Felicity to the surface. Only you just wouldn't die. So I went to the hospital one day, intent on putting air into your IV while you slept, and what would you know, someone was looking out for you when I caught a moment between a very pretty blond and a very confused Oliver. He couldn't remember you, but I” he ran the muzzle of the gun down Felicity's cheek “I had spent hours studying your face. It was you. I had found you.”

 

Tommy heaved a heavy sigh “I found you” he repeated

“I had you followed and boy did I find out a great many things, where you worked, the underground casino you visited to look around before you would try and swindle them and of course I saw her” he pointed the gun at Amelie standing 20 feet behind them

Oliver lurched forward again, bursting from the grip of the guards holding him. He landed a punch on Tommy's face before he was struck around the back of the head and sent to his knees, an automatic rifle pushed up against his temple.

 

Amelie screamed and went to run forward, but was violently yanked into the air, her tiny feet running on nothing.

Felicity held out her hands in an attempt to calm the situation. A hand came to rest on Oliver's shoulder and one pleading for the guard to handle Amelie with care.

“Its okay baby, you keep your eyes on me. Always on me Melie”

Amelie's whole body shook with her sobs but she managed the smallest of nods.

Tommy clicked his jaw, rubbing it with the hand that held the gun “Ouch Oliver. As I was saying I found your daughter and my _god_ she looked like Oliver – how the hell did no one notice that before? I mean really? It was as bloody obvious as Superman and Clark Kent”

“So you pushed me into their lives” Oliver sighed, the throbbing in the back of his head blurring his vision slightly

“I saw my way into their lives, through you Oliver, I needed to know what she knew. Turns out she knew a whole lot more than I had bet on. Finding you Felicity Smoak was like finding the god damn light. You knew the code, you knew the plan, _you_ knew the person who killed my father. When I realised what a _badass_ you were, I couldn't afford to underestimate you, so I sped up my little plan and here we are”

“So now what?” Felicity replied trying her best to keep her voice low and Amelie calm

“Now you have 24 hours to deliver the code to me. If you don't I shoot your daughter then I shoot your, whatever Oliver is – baby daddy? And then I shoot you. Have I made myself abundantly clear?”

“You know I destroyed the code”

“You better get tapping away at your little keyboard then hadn't you. I've had enough of this chit chat. You have 24 hours” He began to walk away gesturing to the guard holding Amelie to put her in the car.

 

Felicity ran forward her hand grabbing Tommy's arm, three guns instantly swung in her direction as Amelie started screaming again.

“Please don't take her, take me, I'll go with you,I'll do what you need, just please don't take her”

Tommy placed a finger to his mouth and sighed in contemplation “no, you need the motivation to keep focused, the girl comes with us”

“Mommy” Amelie screamed as she kicked out at the guards, striking one in the face with her shoe and biting the hand of another

“Amelie, it'll be okay baby” Felicity called out to her as a guard who had her around the waist threw her backwards into Oliver.

“Daddy, mommy”

Oliver went to charge again, but the blow was harder this time, knocking him to the ground and causing him to black out.

* * *

 

Oliver came to with a ringing in his ear and a thumping headache. There were hands on his head stroking his hair. He blinked the picture clear, it was just him and Felicity, his head lay on her lap, her hands combing through his hair.

“Oliver, you need to get up, can you get up?” she whispered through stained red eyes

“Yah” he mumbled, attempting to stand but unable to connect his brain with his feet.

 

She put his arm around her shoulders and helped him stand.

“They took her Oliver, they took my baby girl”

* * *

 

Felicity sat on the white couch, her face stained with mascara and tears, her once painted lips, dry and smudged and her hair was a twisted mess. She starred blankly at her hands, she was numb, there was nothing she could see working. There was no way she could write that code in 24 hours, it had taken her months to do and she had started with her original notes, this time she had nothing. She had destroyed everything.

Oliver paced around in front of her, his mouth silently twitching out words, both his palms lay flat on the top of his head. He had nothing, he could see nothing working.

“I'm so sorry Oliver, I don't know how to fix this” Felicity finally spoke, her voice cracked and shallow “I have nothing to work from, I can't”

Oliver stopped, an idea suddenly presenting itself “the one you gave to ARGUS”

Felicity shook her head “it doesn't work, it was a fake one”

“But it looks enough like it, right?”

Felicity saw where he was going with this.

“Yes, a few easy commands will work on it, power grids, private GPS signals, they will all work”

“So we give him that”

“Waller will never give it to me, she thinks its real, she'd never release that” Felicity sighed _unless_ “unless Lyla” she breathed softly as she stood up, found her phone and dialled a number she had not used in years – to protect them both.

 

“Felicity?” Lyla answered

“I need your help”

* * *

 

Lyla arrive at the apartment within the hour. She hugged Felicity tightly “I'm so sorry” she whispered, completely abreast of the situation at hand.

The two had maintained their distance as Lyla still worked for ARGUS and Felicity had a different path to take. The distance between them meant that Waller could not track Lyla should she ever wish to easily find Felicity again. But despite the time apart, they embraced like the closest of friends.

Another person emerged from the kitchen behind Oliver, his foreboding presence one both Felicity and Oliver knew they would need to get Amelie back safely.

“Hello Lyla” John said, his eyes meeting with his ex-wife for the first time in many years

“John” Lyla nodded

“Did you bring it?” Felicity asked anxiously

“I have it, I'm not sure how long till they notice, but you can assume I'm fired after this” she smiled “probably court marshalled too” she shrugged “but I owe you my life” she finished nodding down to Felicity

“So do we have a plan for this?” John spoke, his bulked arms sitting crossed over his chest.

Oliver nodded and began outlining it.

* * *

 

Tommy had instructed them to bring the code to the memorial for Malcolm Merlyn – _poetically fitting_ he had told Felicity while Oliver lay unconscious on the gravel drive. It was to be held on an estate out of town where Tommy was intent on honouring his father by finishing his legacy – the final part of which was the programme – the one that started with a simple line of code by a bored college student with a naïve idea and no way of knowing that the baseline of that code – the starting point – would end up putting her, and everyone else, on this trajectory.

 

Felicity straightened Oliver's tie, her eyes solemn under the veil of make-up she was wearing. Despite the circumstance, he had noticed how ethereal she looked in the floor length black wrap dress, her hair pulled beautifully off her face, her blue eyes strong and focused and her lips parted gently like soft pink pillows. Under any other circumstances he would have kissed her deeply and passionately but for now he simply admired her, her outside beauty and her inside fire.

She patted his jacket closed and her eyes met with his, eager for comfort, searching for connection.

He took her head gently between his palms, leant in and tenderly kissed her forehead

“We'll bring her home” he whispered – it was all she needed to hear.

* * *

 

“So, ARGUS” John sparked conversation as him and Lyla hid in the bushes, counting the number of guards around the perimeter.

“Probably not now” Lyla shrugged

“So what will you do?”

“Any openings in the private security sector” she smiled, elbowing him gently

“You want in on this team?” a smile peeking across his face

“We'll need a codename”

“Original Team Queen, OTQ?”

“Hmm, it's missing something”

John grabbed her arm, there was something happening. They both looked, it was almost time.

* * *

 

“Whatever happens in there, get Amelie out, please” Felicity said cautiously as they walked towards the front door of Tommy's estate

“Felicity, I'm not going to leave you” Oliver responded swiftly

She stopped him placing her hand on his forearm with a grip he wasn't aware she had in her “Oliver listen to me, I will find my own way out. Amelie is your focus, you get her, you get her out and you promise me that you will do whatever you need to do to keep her safe, please, promise me that”

He nodded, his eyes repeating the promise “I promise”

The crowd was large, milling around the grand entrance of the house. Malcolm's face hung from the ceiling with melodramatic quotes from city officials and the elite who thought they knew what kind of a man he had been – it was abundantly clear from their celebration of his life that they didn't know a thing – even Felicity and Oliver had only scratched the surface of who Malcolm Merlyn was.

Felicity looked for the nearest camera and held up the small flash drive, sure Tommy would be watching. Sure enough within a minute they were being escorted up the stairs to another top wing of the house.

Oliver instinctively took Felicity's hand and a comfort fell upon them both.

They stepped into a room not unlike the one Felicity had walked into 3 years ago, only now it was at the top floor of a stone walled estate.

 

Tommy was standing in front of the window and without looking he waved them closer.

“I have it, where is our daughter” Felicity spoke, her back stiff, her eyes wide

“Once I see that it works, Oliver can leave with her. You stay behind, I still may need you”

“She's not staying with you Tommy” Oliver spoke, his voice almost pleading with the man he thought he knew

“Oliver, I'll go with him if that's how Amelie leaves with you”

She walked over to the terminal and pushed the flashdrive into the port.

She typed the commands required that would open the first layer of the programme.

 

Tommy walked over, to him it would have looked like it needed to.

He pushed a paper in front of her “send a missile from the Central City military base to these coordinates”

They hadn't planned on him wanting to use it here and now.

“Not until Amelie is safe”

“You don't make deals with me” he snarled in her ear “prove it works”

“I want to see her first”

Tommy signalled for Amelie to be brought in the room.

The little girl broke free and ran into Oliver's arms

Felicity nodded toward Oliver, it was time.

 

He pushed the signal on his phone and across the field in the bushes, Diggle's wrist watch flashed.

“It's time to create a diversion” he smiled pulling the military grade rocket launcher from the case beside him – Lyla had brought more than just a flash drive from ARGUS

“Try not to enjoy it too much” Lyla smiled as John targeted a shiny silver Mercedes

Split seconds later it was in the air in a giant ball of flames. It landed on the roof of another setting off a chain reaction of car alarms and explosions. That would do it.

 

Holding Amelie tightly against him Oliver ran for the door as screams erupted downstairs. Felicity snapped to her feet and swung the chair she had being on across the back of on guard aiming for Oliver.

Oliver's instincts were driving him back to help her, but he had promised and as he felt Amelie's heartbeat racing against his, he finally understood why Felicity had made him promise that.

He was in the crowd now, the crowd screaming and fleeing the house.

He reached the bushes without stopping, John shot at two guards that were following, cutting them down in their tracks and making Amelie's small body jolt in Oliver's arms.

He set her down, coming down to her level, his hands holding her head. He eyes were wide, scared, unsure.

“You're okay, I'm going to get mommy, you stay with big uncle Dig” he smiled, wiping a tear with his thumb.

“Oliver, she said she'd find her own way out” John said quietly grabbing Oliver's arm

“Take Amelie out of here, we'll meet at the rendezvous point” his instruction was clear, he would not be talked out of it.

John nodded as he handed Oliver a hand gun.

* * *

 

“Enough” Tommy yelled the muzzle of the gun hard up against the back of Felicity's head

There were three very bruised and battered guards at her feet, they had underestimated her.

“Sit down and start the code” he hissed, slamming the chair down on the ground

“With pleasure” she muttered – Amelie was out, Amelie was safe. Time for the laughing goats.

She ran the command and as expected every video camera, every cellphone and every TV that was connected to the network started playing video clips of laughing goats instead of the moving video tribute to Malcolm Merlyn .

Oliver cracked a smile as he ran back in – she had run the code, it wouldn't be long till there was every tier of law enforcement surrounding the area.

* * *

 

Tommy screamed as he realised what she had done. He grabbed her hair and yanked her upright. She tried to fight her way out of his grip, but to no avail. As he dragged her across the room she could feel her scalp burning from the assault.

Oliver kicked through the door, firing on the only guard in the room still standing. The bullet cut through his knee cap rending him incapacitated.

Tommy flung open a door behind him that led upwards, his arm now tightly around Felicity's neck, crushing her windpipe. He was strong, stronger than she imagined he would be given his frame. It seemed she underestimated him.

“Tommy, stop” Oliver called, the gun raised and pointed

“You're not going to shoot me Oliver, it's not in your nature” Tommy laughed “plus I have one of those too, and it's pointing here” he pushed the gun hard against Felicity's soft skin.

 

He went up the stairs, dragging her behind him.

Oliver followed at a distance.

They were on the roof now, a pilot had already started the helicopter, the blades pushing the air down on the three standing close to it.

“Let her go Tommy” Oliver called over the noise

“I wanted to finish my father's legacy, I guess I'll just have to settle for good old fashion vengeance” the gun dug in deep as he stepped back, one foot in the chopper.

 

Felicity closed her eyes tightly, if this was the end she would have the sweetest memories being the last thing she saw. The face of her daughter, the site of Amelie hugged against Oliver while he read to her, Oliver's face all those years ago the first time they made love, his touch of his hand against her cheek when she told him her darkest secrets – yes, if these were to be her last moments, those would be her last thoughts.

Then a flicker of a movement, his foot slipped just a fraction as he took a step backwards, his body now ever so slightly off balance.

She dropped her body under the arm holding the gun. He stumbled forward, her body acting as a barrier. She was fighting for control the gun, but he was stronger than most, trained in a similar way to her. It wasn't enough, the gun went off. The crack of it was ringing in her ear, the smell of gun powder fell over her.

She fell to the ground, her leg in searing pain. She had been shot in the flesh of her thigh, but he no longer had the gun – it was without owner on the ground between them. Felicity managed to kick it away, further than she had hoped for as Oliver raced up beside her, his gun now the only one close and it was trained directly on Tommy.

Felicity could see the conflict in Oliver's eyes, she could hear the fear in his breath.

 

Tommy raised his hands in surrender, but backed towards the chopper.

“I can't let you leave Tommy” Oliver said between gritted teeth

“You're not going to shoot me Oliver” Tommy smiled

“You murdered Laurel, you killed Thea, you shot my girlfriend and you kidnapped my daughter and that goes nothing towards what ever it was you were planning on doing in the first place. So tell me again Tommy why the fuck wouldn't I shoot you?” Oliver hissed, the veins in his muscular arms surging as he filled with a rage that he was unfamiliar with feeling.

 

Felicity could see it written over every aspect of him. His eyes showed the betrayal, his stance showed the anger, his brow showed the conviction and his voice showed the fight.

She knew what taking a life could do to a person, it left a permanent stain on a heart and a blackened mark on a soul. She didn't want that for Oliver, but she couldn't do anything to stop him – she knew that.

Tommy waved his index finger knowingly, as he signalled for the pilot to hand him something.

“You won't kill me because you were wrong on one of those counts” he threw the object down at Oliver's feet.

It was a tablet, with a video link unconnected to the network, broadcasting it's own picture. Oliver didn't look down until he heard something, just a whimper above the sounds of the rotor blades. Perhaps his mind had played tricks on him, perhaps he hadn't heard it...

...But when he looked down he saw it.

Sitting on a lone chair in a stale room. The camera fixed on a face, a face he knew well.

_Thea_

The gun fell to the floor as Oliver dropped to his knees to retrieve the tablet.

He scooped it up into his hands as Felicity gripped the gun, her aim now at Tommy.

“Ollie?” Thea's voice came through the speaker, barely audible

“Thea?”

The chopper rose off the ground and Felicity lowered the gun. Tommy had just played a trump card that had spared his life because his life was now intrinsically tied to Thea's.

 

 

**\- The End -**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow.  
> Thank you everyone that read this, left kudos, comments and those that sent me twitter messages. To know you were reading and enjoying it was so amazing to me.
> 
> I hope I did the characters justice.  
> Sorry not sorry Tommy, you would have made an awesome super villain.
> 
> Special thanks to Tavia, Samrosie and Jenna, KTR and Xander for the extra support, you guys crack me up.
> 
> To think this story was borne out of me listening to Writings on the Wall by Sam Smith.
> 
> Again, thank you....
> 
> Season 2?...


	24. Axis

Sequel to _Baseline_

 

The trump card was played.

She was alive.

What would Oliver be willing to risk to bring her home?

 

The _Axis_ is the truth everything revolves around; the past, the present and the future. 

Each one existing in a delicate balance

Each one existing under a web of lives and lies

Each one existing to threaten the balance of the other

 

 

Special thanks to Tavia 

 

PS: Have images 'allowed' for this page if you know what's good for you :)

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. 
> 
> Would love to hear what you think?
> 
> NB: I have straight up stopped trying to spell 'American' I was confusing myself, so British spelling it is.


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